Chennai Super Champs Sign Hoang Nam Ly, Reveal WPBL Season 2 Squad

Chennai Super Champs strengthened their WPBL Season 2 roster by signing Hoang Nam Ly and unveiling an eight-player squad that blends international experience with local talent. The club announced the move on January 23, 2026, positioning Ly as a marquee pickup for a franchise chasing regional profile and on-court success.

Hoang Nam Ly arrives with credentials that bridge tennis and pickleball. Ly is a former junior Wimbledon doubles champion (2015), Vietnam's highest-ranked male tennis player in history with an ATP career-high of 239, and he currently holds No. 3 on the PPA Asia Tour in men’s singles. The announcement highlighted his DUPR ratings as a factor in the signing, signaling that Chennai values statistical translation from tennis to pickleball - serving power, net instincts, and doubles IQ that should pay dividends in mixed and men’s pairings.

The full Chennai Super Champs squad features Sonu Kumar Vishwakarma (IND), Ava Cavataio (USA), Tanner Tomassi (USA), Hoang Nam Ly (VIE), Quan Do (VIE), Rika Fujiwara (JPN), Domenika Turkovic (CRO), and Carlota Trevino (MEX). That international mix gives Chennai tactical flexibility: American players Ava Cavataio and Tanner Tomassi bring U.S. pickleball training models and power-oriented play; Vietnamese pair Hoang Nam Ly and Quan Do create regional continuity and cross-sport appeal; Sonu Kumar Vishwakarma anchors local representation that helps fan engagement in Chennai. Rika Fujiwara, Domenika Turkovic, and Carlota Trevino add depth across women's and mixed formats.

Chennai’s fixtures open against Dilli Dillwale on 27 Jan, followed by matches versus Mumbai Pickle Power on 29 Jan, Rajasthan Titans on 30 Jan, Bengaluru Jawans on 02 Feb, Hyderabad Superstars on 04 Feb, and Pune United on 06 Feb. Those early fixtures map a compact run where Ly’s transition from tennis to high-speed pickleball will be tested in consecutive matches against established WPBL opponents. Expect Chennai to deploy Ly in doubles rotations where his volleying, court positioning, and serve-read skills can convert into third-shot opportunities and quick net points.

From a business standpoint, the signing underscores WPBL’s strategy of importing cross-border talent to boost viewership, sponsorship, and merchandising. Hoang Nam Ly’s profile should resonate in Vietnam and the broader Southeast Asian market, expanding Chennai Super Champs’ brand beyond Tamil Nadu. Culturally, the move spotlights evolving athletic pathways in Asia as tennis players migrate to pickleball and leverage their skills in a rapidly professionalizing circuit.

For fans, this roster announcement sets clear storylines to watch: how Hoang Nam Ly adapts to DUPR-driven matchmaking, which pairings produce chemistry, and whether Chennai’s international blend can translate into early wins against Dilli Dillwale and Mumbai Pickle Power. The coming fixtures will reveal whether this calculated gamble pays off on court and in the regional market.