KUCHING: Sarawak’s Eugenia David made her mark at the Skechers International Pickleball Tournament Malaysia Edition 2025 (WPC Series) with a bronze medal in the women’s singles category, despite competing through injury and facing a field of top international contenders.
Held from May 16-18, the tournament brought together athletes from Singapore, China, India, Vietnam, Guam, and Thailand – showcasing high-level competition across all categories.
Eugenia, 21, participated in the women’s singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles category, but it was the singles event that proved most fruitful – and surprising.
“Honestly, it didn’t go as planned, we aimed for a podium in mixed doubles, but unexpectedly, I got it in singles – which I didn’t expect because it was my first time playing singles in KL,” she told Sarawak Tribune recently.
Despite injuring her hand just a week prior and undergoing five days of physiotherapy, Eugenia advanced to the semi-finals.
During one of her matches, she suffered a hand scrape that required immediate medical attention, which later affected her mixed and doubles performances.
She ultimately secured third place after a hard-fought 21-11 win against Intan Serah in the second runner-up matchup.
In the mixed doubles event, Eugenia partnered with Izzul Aizuddin, who also earned recognition with a silver medal in men’s singles, giving Team Malaysia two spots on the podium.
“This made me want to compete more in singles. I feel like this is just the beginning for me,” said the pickleball starlet, reflecting on her experience.
With her sights now set on the next stage, Eugenia is taking this week to recover fully, easing into light training sessions before stepping back onto the court for the 2025 Ambank Malaysia Pickleball Championship from May 30 to June 1.
