Caden Nemoff recently headed to Asia for the summer, opting to compete in upcoming PPA Asia events after going undrafted in MLP this season.

Rather than taking time off or grinding through PPA Challengers, he made a bold move by relocating to Vietnam to chase high-level competition abroad.

“I was hoping to get picked for MLP this year. I played for DC last year, but they got disbanded, so I was a free agent. I was hoping to get picked up by a team, but ultimately I didn’t get picked,” said Nemoff. “I always told myself that I eventually wanted to play some PPA Asia, and it just worked out because there’s no PPA events for the next couple of months in the U.S., so I thought maybe I should just go to Asia.”

Nemoff already had ties to the Asian pickleball scene, having previously coached the UPA Trailblazers, a group of Asian players who spent several months training in the U.S.

“When I coached, I got to meet a lot of Asian players in these PPA events. One of the players, Sophia Tran Phuong Anh, and her dad, Phi Nguyen, said that if I ever wanted to go out there and help coach, he could help make that happen,” he explained. “But with how many PPA tournaments there are in a year, I figured it’d be difficult to make it happen. Then these next two months were open, and I wanted to compete in the upcoming PPA Asia events to get some points and keep my standing.” 

Nemoff had never set foot in Vietnam before, making his choice to relocate there for the summer a true leap of faith.

“It was a bit of a last-minute decision. I put my visa together a week before, and I bought my flight two weeks before. I didn’t even have a place out here,” he mentioned. “The guy who sponsored me fully booked my hotel, and I just hoped when I got there it would all work out.”

The move has paid off. Along with competing in PPA Asia events and training abroad, Nemoff has also taken on a coaching role at the Elite Sports Academy.

“Pickleball is probably the biggest in Vietnam in terms of Asia right now, and I love getting to see all these cool opportunities for players in Vietnam. There’s so many different clubs and teams,” he noted. “Competition-wise, it’s getting better. They’re still a little ways away from the top of the PPA, but there are some players that I definitely think could come to the U.S. and do some damage.”

While adjusting to the intense humidity and monsoon season has been a challenge, Nemoff is thoroughly enjoying the experience so far.

“Vietnam is incredibly humid and I’m still struggling with it. When I’m playing, I’m sweating through my clothes within the first 25 minutes of being there,” he said. “I now bring two extra pairs of clothes.” 

The food, however, has been a major highlight. 

“Everything I’ve eaten has been 10 out of 10 for me. The best meal I’ve had so far is actually the first day I came in. I had traditional Northern pho, and it was out of this world,” he praised. “Every restaurant here has fresh cold coconuts, and it’s the best thing on the planet. Coconut water is still good, but it doesn’t compare to fresh cold coconuts. It’s life-changing.”

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