As pickleball continues to expand globally, the PPA Tour has made its way to Asia for the Hanoi Cup. Among the top competitors is Alix Truong, who is especially eager for the event after winning gold at last year’s PPA Vietnam Open.

She recently expressed how much she enjoys traveling internationally to play, particularly in locations that hold special meaning for her.

“Asia is amazing, especially in Vietnam. I literally feel like a princess out there. It almost feels like the Olympics with how the fans root for you. When I play in Vietnam, everyone is going nuts because I’m Vietnamese-American. I wasn’t born and raised there, but I’m one of the players representing the flags and it’s just a huge honor,” she shared.

“It’s incredibly special that I also get to compete as a female athlete. In their culture for a long time, they believed that only men could play sports, so now that pickleball is a gender neutral sport where everyone gets to play, I can see how much they love rooting for the girls out there.”

Of course, one of Truong’s favorite things about the Vietnam stop is the food. 

“Being Vietnamese, I love the food there. I grew up on my mom and grandma’s cooking so going out there feels like home. It’s so authentic. My favorite is the banh mi xiu mai. It’s basically a bread sandwich with meatballs and tomato sauce which doesn’t sound Vietnamese at all. It’s a meatball sub, but it’s Vietnamese style, so that’s why I like it,” she said.

“But if we’re talking noodles, literally every kind of pho out there is so much more authentic than you could ever get here. There’s actually two different kinds of pho, northern and southern, and you have to try both. And if you like spicy food, I recommend bun bo hue. It’s spicy beef noodle soup with thicker noodles. It’s so good.”

As for desserts...

“The biggest compliment in Vietnamese desserts is something that’s not too sweet. My favorite is where basically there’s different jellies and sweet beans in syrups or coconut milk that have a ton of different variations,” explained Truong. “They’re all so refreshing. You can’t go wrong with any of the flavors.”

She also loves Vietnamese coffee. 

“The caffeine out there hits so much harder than it does in the US. I have two sips of Vietnamese coffee, and I’m good for the day,” confirmed Truong. “I’ll drink a French press coffee with condensed milk, and I like to add ube cream or banana cream.”  

For Truong, competing in Vietnam carries deep personal significance, especially as she plays alongside her younger brother, Jonathan.

Being able to represent her heritage while contributing to pickleball's growth is especially meaningful for both her and her family.

“Vietnam is my favorite tour stop in Asia, and while pickleball is not to the scale of the US yet, it's really cool to see more facilities pop up on every block,” she concluded. “I just love it so much, so I can’t wait to play out there.”

To keep up to date on all things pickleball, follow us on Instagram.