– The United States Pickleball Administration Association (UPA-A) has issued a new rule after Vietnamese-American player Quang Duong was intentionally hit in the face with a ball by world number 1 player Ben Johns.
Recently, the United States Pickleball Administration Association (UPA-A) has introduced a new rule to protect players after Quang Duong was intentionally hit in the face by world number 1 player Ben Johns at The Majors World Championship last month.
The situation happened in set 2, Ben Johns suddenly hit the ball hard, straight at Quang Duong’s face. Fortunately, the Vietnamese player dodged the ball in time, avoiding dangerous injuries.
Ben Johns’s move created controversy in the world’s leading pickleball forums. Many opinions believe that this was an intentional foul play by the world’s number 1 pickleball player. Because, instead of hitting the ball down to the court to score a point, Ben Johns raised the racket with the intention of hitting Quang Duong straight in the face.
After the match, Ben Johns also affirmed that he wanted to hit Quang Duong “to warn him”. This player said that Quang Duong often focused on hitting the ball at his opponent to score points, so he wanted to remind him.
According to the new regulations, intentionally hitting the ball at the opponent’s face is considered a violation. Violators will be subject to the following penalties:
– Considered a technical foul, the point goes to the opponent
– A minimum fine of $2,500 for the violating player
– If the violation is committed against a teammate, the player who committed the foul will be fined a minimum of $5,000. The match will be stopped immediately. The victory is awarded to the opposing team.
The new rules take effect immediately, according to the announcement, and apply to the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball.
UPA-A President Jason Aspes said: “Our goal is to create a competitive environment where athletes can perform at the highest level without risk. This new rule allows us to evaluate and adjust our approach to maintain the safety and integrity of the sport.”
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