The Duong Discipline: A Father, a Coach, and a Believer

In an exclusive sit-down with Pickle361 during their visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Duc Duong, the father and coach of World #6 Quang Duong, Duc shared the raw, real, and radically refreshing story of how his son went from recovering from a wrist injury to lighting up professional courts across the U.S. with a playing style so disruptive, even the pros started taking notes. 

In the high-speed world of pickleball, talent might get you on the court - but mindset, discipline, and soul keep you in the game. And if anyone understands this better than most, it’s Duc Duong.

We caught up with the Vietnamese American pickleball prodigy during his whirlwind trip to Malaysia for the Panas Cup 2025, organised by 9Pickle in April 2025.

From Tennis to Pickleball: The Injury That Sparked a New Dream

Rewind to May 2023. Quang was a dedicated tennis player, like his siblings, until a wrist injury put a hard stop on his progress. “I told him, don’t just sit around. Go find something to do,” said Duc. That something turned out to be pickleball.

And not just casually hitting a ball around, Quang beat everyone in his city in a single day. One thing led to another, and soon, Duc was booking flights to Atlanta for Quang's first ever pro pickleball tournament.

No expectations. Just a father, a son, and a paddle. The rest? Pure fire.

The Power of Training That Breaks You (Duc’s Ultimate Secret Weapon)

Quang’s rise wasn’t built on flash, it was forged in fire. Duc’s coaching style is intense, focused, and completely counterintuitive: “I want him to look bad in training,” he said with a smile. Why? Because breakdowns during training are opportunities to fix mistakes before they ever show up in a match.

Back when he was on a tennis track, Quang trained 10 hours a day, on court, in the gym, nonstop. But after a wrist injury forced a break, his dad and coach, Duc Duong, flipped the playbook.

Now? Just two hours a day, split between targeted court drills and conditioning. But those two hours are intense.

“We train to break him in practice so he won’t break in a match,” Duc says. “Pickleball doesn’t need 10 hours a day, it needs two hours of real chaos. So we create chaos.”

They simulate unpredictable scenarios, fastball exchanges, even mental breakdowns, training that’s designed to stress-test every part of Quang’s game.

And the results speak for themselves.

In tennis, his game relied heavily on rhythm. In pickleball, they’ve gone the opposite way.

“We looked at the top guys and saw how they slowed down the game. So we said, let’s speed it up. Let’s break rhythm instead of building it.”

The Duong system focuses on controlled aggression. It’s not about playing safe; it’s about attacking when it’s right, even during the soft game. And yes, they’ve caught flak for it.

“People said he wasn’t playing right. But now they’re copying him,” Duc adds with a smile.

No shortcuts. No fluff. Just smart work.

A Style That Shook the Pro Scene

What makes Quang’s play so different? It’s aggressive. Explosive. Calculated. And it comes from his background in paddle tennis and tennis, games that move much faster than traditional pickleball.

When Duc and Quang first watched pro players like Ben Johns, they were surprised. “Too slow,” Duc said. “Too soft.” So they flipped the script. They built a style that attacks the soft game and disrupts the rhythm.

At first, critics said Quang lacked finesse. But as Duc points out, “He can touch when he wants to. But when the opponent is strong, he plays strong. That’s the design. Now even the tour players are starting to copy it.”

Game changer!

Exhibition Match at Panas Cup

The Philosophy: Focus on Performance, Not Trophies

Here’s where Duc really hits different. When asked about Quang’s goals for the next five years, his answer wasn’t about rankings or records.

 “We don’t focus on results,” he said. “We focus on surviving every point. Performing every match.”

In a world obsessed with wins and losses, Duc’s mindset is a breath of fresh air. “You can lose 11-0 and still perform. But if you win 11-0 and play badly? That’s not progress.” This mindset shift started early in Quang’s transition from tennis to pickleball, where the goal wasn’t to dominate the scoreboard but to stay mentally sharp through adversity. 

Even in practice, Duc prioritizes discomfort over victory. He builds sessions to expose Quang’s limits, not to boost his ego. If Quang wins a training match but doesn't struggle, it’s considered a loss. 

“A medal means nothing if your game didn’t improve,” Duc says. “We want to win ugly, win tired, win when everything’s going wrong. That’s a champion, not someone who only wins when they feel good.” The message is clear: results will come, but only if the process is ironclad.

This approach isn’t just motivational, it’s revolutionary. Especially for young players in Asia, where pressure to “win” often overshadows growth. Duc is here to flip the narrative: growth over glory, performance over perfection.

Panas Cup Opening by Duong family & Vincent Siow

What’s Next? Training the World, One Court at a Time

Duc isn’t just a coach, he’s a mentor with a mission. While he’s received countless requests to train other pros, he now focuses mostly on female players (because, as he cheekily says, he’s not giving away secrets to his son’s future opponents).

But here’s the exciting part: he’s bringing this to Malaysia.

“We’re planning proper training programs here,” he said. “Give us one or two weeks with your players, and their levels will skyrocket.”

That’s not hype. That’s experience talking.

Final Words From a Father, a Coach, and a Believer

“My name is Duc Duong. I’m the father and coach of Quang and Bao Duong. Thank you Pickle361 for this interview.”

Duc is more than a coach, he’s proof that behind every great athlete is someone who believes in grit over glam, effort over ego, and heart over hype.

So the next time you're grinding through a tough practice or questioning your progress, remember the Duongs. Remember that a world-class athlete can come from a backyard court, a wrist injury, and a dad who simply said:

“You can’t just stay home, go find something to do.”

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This interview was hosted by Buddy. 

Buddy’s sports journey started on the tennis courts, and now he’s all in on pickleball – a sport he’s totally hooked on! When he’s not on the court for some fun social games, Buddy’s putting his strategic insights and experience in food & beverage and sports event planning to work, creating epic experiences for both athletes and fans. With his sights set on taking pickleball in Malaysia to the global stage, Buddy’s just getting started!

Join the fun and follow along @buddy.plays on Instagram!

Photos by @yuthika_fpv & @letzuploadit

Coach Curation Program by Pickle361