As the action continues at the Hang Seng Bank Hong Kong Slam, several new partnerships will take the court for the very first time in the Round of 32.

Three of those partnerships are Danni-Elle Townsend/Federico Staksrud and Catherine Parenteau/Noe Khlif in the mixed doubles draw, as well as Christian Alshon/Yuta Funemizu in men’s doubles.

Here’s some insight into each partnership.

Danni-Elle Townsend and Federico Staksrud

After missing last week’s Australia Pickleball Cup due to visa issues, Staksrud is set to return to action in all three events in Hong Kong and should be as fresh as ever. He will partner with the Australian star Townsend, who was voted the Most Improved Player for the 2026 Major League Pickleball season. Townsend played almost exclusively the left side in MLP, but she has won seven international PPA mixed doubles titles playing the right side with fellow Aussie, Joey Wild. Townsend and Staksrud will face Jamie Haas and Luc Pham in their first match together.

Catherine Parenteau and Noe Khlif

Both players enter Hong Kong with plenty of momentum after successful outings at last week’s Virginia Beach Open. Parenteau took women’s doubles gold with Sofia Sewing and mixed doubles silver with Riley Newman, while Khlif captured silver in men’s doubles (also with Newman) and made the semifinals in men’s singles. Both players will look to fight off the jet lag and return to the medal stand in a partnership that works well on paper. Parenteau and Khlif will take on Jaeda Minniefield and Will MacKinnon in their first match.

Christian Alshon and Yuta Funemizu

Exactly one month after facing off in one of the most entertaining finals in PPA Tour history in Arizona, Alshon and Funemizu are teaming up in what should be a highly entertaining partnership featuring two of the most excitable players in the sport. Alshon is coming off a double silver performance in Australia and will be looking for more alongside Funemizu, who’s soft tennis background helps him excel on the right side.

Live coverage from Kai Tak Arena continues Tuesday evening on the PPA Tour Asia YouTube channel.