Registration for the inaugural OCBC-Great Eastern Pickleball Open closes at 11.59pm tonight, Monday 5 October, with the Novice and Open draws already full and limited places left only in the Bank of Singapore Corporate Challenge. The three-day tournament runs from 23 to 25 October 2026 at OCBC Arena Halls 1 and 2.
The event is sanctioned by the Singapore Pickle-Ball Association and supported by Sport Singapore. Close to 1,000 players are expected across 16 air-conditioned courts.
One door still open
The Corporate Challenge is the last category taking entries. Both players in a pair must come from the same organisation and be at least 18 years old.
The regular fee is S$148 per pair, which applies to sign-ups from 1 September to tonight’s deadline. The early-bird rate of S$132 closed on 31 August.
OCBC cardholders get 10 per cent off when they pay with an OCBC card, and the first 100 to sign up through the OCBC app receive S$2 cashback. Great Eastern policyholders also get 10 per cent off.
Every registered player receives an event tee. Only paddles carrying the USA or UPA-A Pickleball mark are allowed, and every paddle is checked before each match.
How the draw works
Every match is doubles, and pairs can be any gender combination. Scoring is rally scoring, so a point is won on every rally regardless of who served.
The group stage runs in pools of 16 pairs, with each pair playing two matches. The top two in each pool advance. Novice and Corporate add a round of 32 before the quarter-finals. Group games through to the semi-finals are one set to 21 points, with no deuce. The finals and third-place playoffs are best of three sets to 15.
Pool places are decided on matches won, then overall score difference. With only two group games and no deuce, a pair that loses its opener has little room left, because a narrow loss can still count against it on points.
Three days at OCBC Arena
Friday 23 October opens with the Invitational group stage from 8am to 12.15pm, followed by the Corporate Challenge groups from 12.15pm to 8.45pm.
Saturday 24 October belongs to the public draws. Novice groups play from 8am to 4.30pm, and the Open category takes over from 4.30pm to 8.45pm.
Sunday 25 October is knockout day. Corporate and Invitational knockouts start at 8am, with their finals at 11am. Novice and Open knockouts begin at 1pm, and both finals are scheduled from 4pm to 4.45pm.
Prize money
The Open category carries the biggest purse. The winning pair takes S$1,400, the runners-up S$1,000, third place S$800 and fourth place S$400.
Novice winners receive S$500, with S$400 for second, S$300 for third and S$200 for fourth. Trophies and medals go to podium finishers in every category.
Who the draws were built for
The Novice category is for players with less than 24 months of experience who have never finished in the top three at a local or overseas tournament. The Open category welcomes all skill levels. Both public draws filled before the deadline.
Ahead of the tournament, The Kallang Group ran a series of 24 learn-to-play workshops on the OCBC Group-sponsored courts along the Great Eastern Promenade at the National Stadium. Public registration opened on 27 July.
For anyone who missed out on a Novice or Open slot, the Corporate Challenge is the only route into the draw. Entries close at 11.59pm tonight, and play starts at 8am on Friday 23 October.
