Jombola, a homegrown sport developed in 2006, was designed to be versatile. The unique game combines the skills of tennis, squash, and ping pong and the points system of badminton to create a sport anybody can play - all you need to start exercising is pick up the racquet. Founded by Sukdev Singh, the sport utilises the badminton courts already found in schools, playgrounds, and parks, and features a specially designed racquet and foam ball that players can slow down or speed up to suit their playing style.

That's A Sport is a monthly series where we explore and discover lesser known sports from around the globe.



Photo credit: Jombola | Facebook

Jombola, a homegrown sport developed in 2006, was designed to be versatile. The unique game combines the skills of tennis, squash, and ping pong and the points system of badminton to create a sport anybody can play - all you need to start exercising is pick up the racquet. Founded by Sukdev Singh, the sport utilises the badminton courts already found in schools, playgrounds, and parks, and features a specially designed racquet and foam ball that players can slow down or speed up to suit their playing style. That's A Sport is a monthly series where we explore and discover lesser known sports from around the globe.Photo credit: Jombola | Facebook

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Ep 8: Jombola, That's A Sport?

It was a case of “so near, and yet so far” again for our shuttlers, as Aaron Chia & Soh Wooi Yik came so close to ending our barren spell at the recent Malaysia Open. They fought valiantly, but didn’t manage to stop the reigning world champions from South Korea, Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae. Aaron and Wooi Yik aside, our other shuttlers once again flattered to deceive, with Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah another surprise underperformers. We review the Malaysia Open 2026, and since it’s the beginning of the year, we take this chance to also reflect on how our shuttlers did throughout 2025.


Image Credit: noprati somchit / Shutterstock.com

It was a case of “so near, and yet so far” again for our shuttlers, as Aaron Chia &amp; Soh Wooi Yik came so close to ending our barren spell at the recent Malaysia Open. They fought valiantly, but didn’t manage to stop the reigning world champions from South Korea, Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae. Aaron and Wooi Yik aside, our other shuttlers once again flattered to deceive, with Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah another surprise underperformers. We review the Malaysia Open 2026, and since it’s the beginning of the year, we take this chance to also reflect on how our shuttlers did throughout 2025. Image Credit: noprati somchit / <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Shutterstock.com">Shutterstock.com</a>

Malaysia Open 2026 - So Near, And Yet So Far

2025 was the year of pickleball, a relatively new sport that's a hybrid of tennis and ping pong, played at a less intense pace than other racquet sports. Pickleball has enjoyed tremendous growth in popularity, with people from all walks of life picking up the paddle to not only have fun, but also socialize with friends, family, and strangers. With pickleball courts now THE place to be for active people, will we see a slowdown soon? Andrew Lee, co-founder of Pickle361, joins us on the show to chart the growth of pickleball here in Malaysia and whether it's here to stay.


Image Credit: Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock.com

2025 was the year of pickleball, a relatively new sport that's a hybrid of tennis and ping pong, played at a less intense pace than other racquet sports. Pickleball has enjoyed tremendous growth in popularity, with people from all walks of life picking up the paddle to not only have fun, but also socialize with friends, family, and strangers. With pickleball courts now THE place to be for active people, will we see a slowdown soon? Andrew Lee, co-founder of Pickle361, joins us on the show to chart the growth of pickleball here in Malaysia and whether it's here to stay. Image Credit: Wirestock Creators / <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Shutterstock.com">Shutterstock.com</a>

Pickleball - Here To Stay

Hockey is a sport that has a strong foundation and roots in Malaysia, with the Speedy Tigers remaining relatively competitive on the global stage. And yet, despite the sport still being played at the grassroots level in schools, hockey might be facing problems that threaten its future existence in the country. A lack of high-quality next-generation players succeeding our current aging star players is among the challenges we're currently facing. We speak to Aftar Singh, sports journalist from the New Straits Times, to learn more about hockey in Malaysia and where we are at the moment.


Image Credit: Perak Hockey Association

Hockey is a sport that has a strong foundation and roots in Malaysia, with the Speedy Tigers remaining relatively competitive on the global stage. And yet, despite the sport still being played at the grassroots level in schools, hockey might be facing problems that threaten its future existence in the country. A lack of high-quality next-generation players succeeding our current aging star players is among the challenges we're currently facing. We speak to Aftar Singh, sports journalist from the New Straits Times, to learn more about hockey in Malaysia and where we are at the moment. Image Credit: Perak Hockey Association

Ep 8: Jombola, That's A Sport?

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