Forging pro pickleball stints in their 50s

For much of his working career, Yeo Jih-Shian had envied the life of a professional athlete.

- Melvyn Teoh

At the age of 56, he became one — beyond his wildest imagination.

The retired lawyer, who had played table tennis, badminton and tennis, picked up pickleball during the Covid-19 pandemic and went on to win various tournaments, prompting apparel brand Sypik to offer him a one-year contract with its professional pickleball team.

Joining him are Singapore's top women's doubles players — 25-year-old Zermaine Lew (No. 1), 57-year-old Pini Lee (No. 2)—and men's doubles player Ping Boon Chia, 40.

They will receive a monthly allowance, reimbursement for travel expenses for overseas tournaments as well as performance bonuses. Sypik has also signed players from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia as part of its efforts to grow the sport.

Its spokesperson Giang Huyen Trang said Sypik wants to support more pickleball players from the region, adding: "This partnership marks a significant milestone for pickleball in Singapore and is a testament to the growing prominence of pickleball in Singapore."