Global pickleball brand Franklin Sports, in partnership with Toby’s Sports, brought its Franklin Asia Pickleball Showcase to the Philippines this October, giving local players and fans a rare opportunity to see world No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters demonstrate the skills that have made her one of the sport’s most dominant athletes.

The Manila stop marked the first leg of the multi-country showcase, which is set to continue in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. Held at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, the event gathered Filipino athletes, content creators, celebrities, and pickleball enthusiasts for a day of matches, on-court demonstrations, and fan interactions.

A Filipino Welcome For The Queen Of Pickleball

The showcase opened with an exclusive morning session for content creators, who experienced the sport through interactive activities and on-court participation.

In the afternoon, Waters received a distinctly Filipino welcome inspired by the traditional Santacruzan procession. Wearing a Filipiniana-inspired, butterfly-sleeved bolero and accompanied by traditional arc bearers, she made a grand entrance befitting the celebrated athlete.

The appearance also highlighted Waters’ latest career milestones: surpassing 200 career gold medals and securing her 45th career Triple Crown following her performance at the Chicago Cup.

Waters then joined her mother and coach, Leigh Waters, for a special fundamentals and skills demonstration. Fans gained an up-close look at the precision, techniques, and strategies behind her world-class performance.

The audience also got an early glimpse of Franklin’s upcoming paddle through a teaser featuring a mysterious new model marked with a question mark. Both Anna Leigh and Leigh Waters used the unrevealed paddle as part of the brand’s global marketing campaign ahead of its planned launch later this year.

Filipino Athletes And Celebrities Take The Court

The afternoon continued with matches featuring Filipino pickleball athletes and Franklin brand ambassadors Davis Alano, Zeth Alferez, Coco Barquin, Paulo Fermin, Anna Clarice Patrimonio, and Eren Penados.

Celebrity players Ariella Arida, Rodjun Cruz, Andy Smith, and Diana Zubiri-Smith added to the excitement, joining the on-court action for a special celebrity match alongside Waters.

The Philippines’ selection as the showcase’s first destination reflects the country’s growing prominence in the sport. With a reported 1,213% year-over-year growth rate, the Philippines is currently the world’s fastest-growing pickleball market, placing it high on Franklin Sports’ global expansion priorities.

“We are honored and excited to bring our Franklin Asia Pickleball Showcase to the Philippines,” said Jared Franklin of Franklin Sports. “The Philippines is one of the fastest-growing pickleball markets in the world, and we couldn’t be prouder to bring the no. 1 player in the world, Anna Leigh Waters, to Manila.”

He added that Franklin remains committed to developing pickleball through innovation, trusted equipment, and engagement with communities around the world.

Showcasing Franklin’s Pickleball Innovation

Franklin Sports continues to supply equipment to elite professional players, whose performances have earned 110 medals year to date on the PPA and APP Pro Tours. Its roster includes Hayden Patriquin, Paris Todd, Will Howells, Jimmy Liong, Sofia Sewing, Casey Diamond, Megan Fudge, and Ryler DeHeart, among others.

The showcase also featured the Franklin X-40 pickleball, a widely recognized ball used in major competitions. According to Franklin, the X-40 holds more than 75% of the North American market and has served as the official ball for Manny Pacquiao’s Maharlika Pilipinas Pickleball Tour, the Franklin US Open Pickleball Championships, the APP Tour, the Pickleball Slam, USA Pickleball, and more than 1,000 other tournaments worldwide.

Franklin also announced plans to introduce the X-44, a new, faster-playing ball endorsed by Waters, around the turn of the year.

Filipino players can access Franklin’s range of paddles, balls, bags, footwear, and accessories through local retail partners including Decathlon, Toby’s Sports, Chris Sports, Juego PH, and PSI Sports.

Founded in 1946, Franklin Sports is celebrating 80 years in the sporting goods industry. The family-owned American brand offers more than 10,000 products across multiple categories and maintains partnerships with major sports organizations and leagues, including MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL, WNBA, and USA Pickleball.

For more information, visit Franklin Sports or follow @franklinpickleball on Facebook and Instagram, and @franklinpickleball.ph locally.