From Boardrooms to the Baseline: Ryan’s Leap into Hong Kong’s Pickleball Revolution

Contributing Editor: SK Lee, Solomon Grey Capital

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HONG KONG – In the shadow of skyscrapers where the air hums with the urgency of finance and tech deals, a quieter revolution is unfolding on compact courts the size of a badminton pitch. Pickleball – that beguiling hybrid of tennis, table tennis, and ping-pong – is carving out space in Hong Kong’s fast-paced psyche, one “dink” at a time. And at the vanguard stands Ryan Lam, a trailblazing professional player whose story reads like a pitch deck for reinvention: corporate ladder abandoned, paddle in hand, eyes on a legacy that could redefine ambition in this city of 7.5 million dreamers.

Ryan is among the first wave of pros in Hong Kong and mainland China. At an age he describes as “20s – old enough to know better, young enough to bet big,” he’s been smacking perforated plastic balls for two years. But last summer, he traded spreadsheets for serves, quitting a stable corporate gig in the States to chase the paddle full-time. “It was a massive bet,” he admits, echoing the high-stakes ethos of Hong Kong’s tech entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. “Tournaments and sponsors were just starting to emerge, but I saw the trajectory – it’s only going to grow bigger.”

His origin tale is pure pandemic serendipity. Holed up in Toronto during COVID lockdowns, Ryan scrolled YouTube clips of pickleball’s frenetic rallies, the kind that blend social chatter with cutthroat competition. “It always looked fun,” he recalls. Then, two years ago, a casual court-side encounter hooked him. “I played once and was done for – every day after work, with friends. It’s social and savage at the same time.” That instant addiction mirrors the sport’s global surge: from 4.8 million U.S. players in 2021 to 40 million worldwide in 2025, per the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

Ryan’s not starting from scratch. A multisport prodigy, he grew up dominating tennis, table tennis, basketball, and even Go (the ancient strategy board game often likened to chess). Tennis was his anchor – he earned a Division I college offer in the States but prioritized academics, a choice that’s now a badge of his calculated risks. “Unlike many players clinging to tennis, I haven’t touched a racket in 10 years,” he says. “Pickleball’s a fresh start.” Yet his eclectic background fuels his edge: tennis for power, table tennis for finesse, basketball for footwork, and Go for the mind games. “Predicting your opponent’s next move? That’s chess – or Go – on a court.”

The epiphany hit early 2024, amid a torrent of wins in China. “I became one of the best there overnight,” Ryan says. Rankings climbed, but the pro path was murky – no government backing for an “emerging sport” in resource-strapped Hong Kong. Still, he leaped, launching a three-month U.S. tour before pivoting to Asia’s circuits. It’s a gamble shared by other converts. Take Callan Dawson, the former San Diego firefighter who ditched sirens in 2020 to grind pro pickleball, now a top tour earner supplementing with clinics. Or Zane Navratil, who shelved a Deloitte accounting gig in 2020 to chase titles, rocketing to top-35 global status with his blistering speed. Even Ly Hoang Nam, Vietnam’s top tennis pro, hung up his strings in March 2025 to dominate pickleball doubles, citing the sport’s “explosive growth.” These stories aren’t outliers; they’re the new normal in a league where pros like Jack Sock – retired ATP veteran – traded Grand Slams for paddles.

Ryan’s biggest payoff? Silver for Team Hong Kong at the 2025 Pickleball World Cup in Florida, November 3, where they stunned powerhouses en route to the finals against a dominant U.S. squad. “Competing with 68 countries – that’s historic,” he beams. Add his 2024 year-end No. 1 ranking in men’s doubles in China, and it’s clear: this isn’t hobbyist hustle. As a flagship pro for Hong Kong’s oldest pickleball club, Ryan envisions himself as the spark. “Being a pioneer in a city where pro athletics feel impossible – especially without support – I want to inspire the next leap of faith.”

That mission aligns seamlessly with TGG Holdings’ audacious push via its LIT Sports Global arm, having acquired the longest running pickleball club in Hong Kong TLP Pickleball Assiciation, Hong Kong, China, which in October 2025 signed three of Hong Kong’s elite players – including Ryan – to pro contracts. Barry Lau, principal of TGG is reimagining sport as a “new media asset class” for Hong Kong’s creative economy, blending investment with community-building. 0 LIT’s playbook: accessible courts, pro leagues, and wellness hubs to foster “belonging through play.” Their squad snagged gold at the World Pickleball Championships in Malaysia earlier this year, a feat Lau calls a “watershed” for Asia’s scene. 10 It’s no coincidence; TGG eyes pickleball’s scalability in space-crunched Hong Kong, where pop-up courts outpace sprawling tennis venues. “HK follows global trends – sports included,” Ryan notes. “Look at Malaysia and Vietnam: KOLs and artists posting dinks online exploded it there. We’re next.”

Why here, why now? Hong Kong’s limited real estate and 24/7 grind make pickleball a perfect fit – quick games, low barriers, high sweat equity. LIT’s vision: transform the city into a fencing-style powerhouse, with talks underway for a Hong Kong rugby franchise in Japan. 15 Globally, the sport’s allure has drawn A-listers betting big to professionalize it. LeBron James, alongside Draymond Green and Kevin Love, dropped seven figures in 2022 on a Major League Pickleball (MLP) team. “Pickleball’s community and competitiveness hooked us,” James’ partner Maverick Carter said, after casual games turned into ownership. Tom Brady joined the frenzy in 2022, investing in MLP amid its $2 million prize pools. Even Andre Agassi, the eight-time Grand Slam king who retired from tennis in 2006, debuted pro in 2025 at the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships, partnering teen phenom Anna Leigh Waters before a quarterfinal exit. 21 “It’s accessible – it’ll grow like you can’t imagine,” Agassi quipped, fresh off a $1 million exhibition smash with Andy Roddick. 20 Their playbook? Echoes LIT’s: elevate from rec league to revenue engine.

For Ryan, goals stay fluid: “No specifics – just evolve daily.” But 2026 beckons with structured training camps and coaching. In five years? “Me competing in HK and Asia, dedicated facilities, pro and amateur leagues. Pickleball as mainstream as basketball or badminton.” His legacy pitch: Not just medals, but the audacity of the quit. “I gambled on passion over paycheck – to show Hong Kong’s next gen: dreams are still bankable here.”

In a city where “hustle” means boardrooms, Ryan’s pivot – backed by TGG’s LIT – signals pickleball’s ascent as the ultimate disruptor. As global celebs pour in, expect more leaps. The court’s open. Who’s next?

SK Lee is a contributing editor at Solomon Grey Capital, where his dispatches on alt-investments reach 22 million subscribers. Views are his own.