Zoey Wang has been eagerly anticipating the opportunity to participate in the 2025 JOOLA Pickleball Legends Tour, which is touring Vietnam and China this week to engage with local communities.

Joining Wang are fellow JOOLA signature pros Ben Johns, Anna Bright, Brooke Buckner, Tyson McGuffin and Collin Johns, and tennis legends Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf.

The group will visit Ho Chi Minh City (Mar. 26), Hanoi (Mar. 27) and Shanghai (Mar. 28-29) for athlete-led clinics, exhibitions and product demonstrations to introduce the Agassi Pro and JOOLA Pro IV paddles to the people of Asia.

The journey is particularly special for 22-year-old Wang, of course, who hails from Taiwan and turned pro just last year to pursue her pickleball dreams in the United States.

It wasn't too long ago that she was admiring some of her fellow travelers from afar, so making this trek is a genuine thrill.

"When I was still living in Taiwan, I'd watch the PPA Tour on YouTube to see how Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters played. That's how I was learning my pickleball skills because I didn't have a coach," explained Wang. "I'd watch their strategy and what they were doing in games, like what they were doing between points, how they would calm themselves down, or even when they would call timeouts. Most of the time, I'd focus on Ben. He has a lot of confidence and I like his playing style."

That homework clearly paid dividends as Wang has quickly made her presence felt on the PPA Tour with her fair share of notable victories, and a silver medal and two bronze medals in singles to date.

She currently ranks 10th in women's singles and sits inside the top 30 in women's doubles and mixed doubles alike, which is quite a feat for a relative newcomer.

"This was the biggest dream ever for me. I didn't think it would happen one day because I'd always watch on TV and I couldn't imagine standing on the court in the U.S. and playing on the PPA Tour, but it just feels like the stars have aligned for me," said Wang. "I'm honored to go on this JOOLA tour with such big names to show people in Asia what pickleball is all about and help grow the sport. This will be a very special trip."

It certainly will be, especially because Wang's mother, Mei Chuan, is meeting her in Shanghai so the pair can spend some quality time together.

That should make this unique experience all the more memorable.

"My mom's a superfan of Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf because she's a former tennis player herself. She's super excited to meet them," mentioned Wang. "She also plays some professional pickleball tournaments in Asia as well. She plays senior pro."

Wang and her mother essentially discovered pickleball at the same time and learned the intricacies of the game in unison.

Needless to say, Mei Chuan is her daughter's most fervent supporter.

"We got into pickleball together, and we were just teaching each other from seeing the pro players on TV. It was like, 'Hey, you should try that!' or 'That strategy is pretty good. You should learn that.' Basically, we just learned with each other and taught each other," noted Wang. "Now, my mom doesn't even sleep at night during PPA tournaments. She wakes up at like 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. to watch me play on Pickleballtv."

It's a beautiful thing.

And Wang's fan base is getting bigger and bigger with every passing week, so she can inspire more players back home to pick up a paddle.

"Anyone can play pickleball, and this tour with JOOLA will help get people on the court in Asia, where the sport is still very new," she concluded. "If Asian-born players can play in the U.S. to improve and get some good experience, then they can go back and help pickleball grow there. That means a lot to me." 

Stay tuned to the JOOLA blog and JOOLA Pickleball on social media for updates throughout the trip.