2026
SEP 18 FRI – SEP 20 SUN ＠SENDAI

presented by

THE SUPER SPORTS XEBIO

— First APP event in the Tohoku region —

APP ASIA
Qualifier Series
SENDAI 2026

September 18 (Fri) – 20 (Sun), 2026

Motoyama Seisakusho Aoba Arena　Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Player Handbook (JP) Regulations PDF (JP)

[Revised September 7, 2026] The PRO category schedule has changed. Now that entry numbers are confirmed, each PRO category is played through in a single day: all Men’s Doubles PRO and Women’s Doubles PRO matches on Saturday, September 19, and all Mixed Doubles PRO matches on Sunday, September 20. The Amateur category days are unchanged. The Player Handbook (PDF, Japanese) is also now available. All players are asked to read it.

[Revised August 25, 2026] The places reserved for international players and organizer picks in the PRO categories are now open to everyone. The six reserved places in each category have been removed, and the full draw is offered for entry: 24 in Men’s Doubles PRO, 24 in Women’s Doubles PRO and 28 in Mixed Doubles PRO. Entries remain first come, first served and close in each category as soon as the draw is full.

[Revised August 21, 2026] The entry period for the PRO categories has been extended. The deadline is now 19:59 on Monday, August 31 (JST), the same day as the Amateur categories. Pairs that entered by 23:59 on Friday, August 21 are confirmed; entries received on or after Saturday, August 22 are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and close in each category as soon as the draw is full.

[Revised August 15, 2026] The scope of the DUPR rating cap has changed. The guidelines published on August 14 applied the cap to all Amateur categories. The cap applies to the 19+ categories only. There is no DUPR cap in the 35+ and 50+ age categories.

Please note: This page also differs in part from the categories and provisional schedule announced earlier. In particular, the days on which the PRO categories are played have changed. Please read this page carefully before entering.

Highlights

Tournament at a glance

1,560,000JPY

PRO prize money

Across three PRO categories

212teams

Draw capacity

PRO 76 ／ Amateur 136

12events

Categories

PRO 3 ／ Amateur 9

Tournament Outline

Outline

Tournament THE SUPER SPORTS XEBIO APP ASIA Qualifier Series SENDAI 2026
Organizer Pickleball Japan Federation
Dates Friday, September 18 – Sunday, September 20, 2026
Venue Motoyama Seisakusho Aoba Arena
1-1-5 Tsutsumimachi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 981-0912, Japan
Prize money JPY 1,560,000 in total, PRO categories
Surface
  • PRO: 4 roll-out courts
  • Amateur: 6 courts on the arena floor
Ranking points
  • PRO: triple PJ points
  • Amateur: standard PJ points
All entrants are eligible for points, whether or not they are registered PJ players.
Awards 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each category Awards and prizes may change depending on the number of entries in each category.
Draw release Published on Tournated after entries close.
Contact Pickleball Japan Federation
office@japanpickleball.org
Schedule

Schedule

Amateur categories are played on different days. Please check the day of your event before entering.

Day 1

Friday, September 18　12:00 arrival／12:45 final check-in／13:00 first match　finish around 18:00

Amateur
Men’s Doubles 50+：16 teams
Women’s Doubles 50+：16 teams

PRO official practice (from around 16:00, once the roll-out courts are laid)
Play starts in the afternoon to allow for venue set-up.

Day 2

Saturday, September 19　9:00 arrival／9:15 final check-in／9:30 first match　finish around 18:00

PRO　All matches played on this day
Men’s Doubles PRO：24 teams
Women’s Doubles PRO：24 teams

Amateur
Mixed Doubles 19+：16 teams
Mixed Doubles 35+：16 teams
Mixed Doubles 50+：16 teams

Day 3

Sunday, September 20　9:00 arrival／9:15 final check-in／9:30 first match　finish around 18:00

PRO　All matches played on this day
Mixed Doubles PRO：28 teams

Amateur
Men’s Doubles 19+：16 teams　／　Men’s Doubles 35+：12 teams
Women’s Doubles 19+：16 teams　／　Women’s Doubles 35+：12 teams

Times above are provisional. Start times for each category will be published once confirmed.

Age is counted as of September 18, 2026.

Entrants of high-school age and under must have parental consent.

Prize

Prize money

Awarded in Men’s Doubles PRO, Women’s Doubles PRO and Mixed Doubles PRO.

PlacePrize (per team)
1stJPY 300,000
2ndJPY 160,000
3rdJPY 60,000

Amounts are per team, in each category.

Entry & Match Day
Eligibility

Draw sizes and eligibility

Who can enter

  • Players who meet the age requirement of their category, as of the first day of the tournament.

PJ player registration is not required. You may enter whether or not you are registered.

Please note: At the request of APP, players who enter a PRO category but do not secure a place may not then enter an Amateur category.

PRO categories

Six places in each category were originally reserved for international players and organizer picks. Those places are now open to everyone, and the full draw is offered for entry.

CategoryPlaces offered
Men’s Doubles PRO24
Women’s Doubles PRO24
Mixed Doubles PRO28

Pairs that entered by 23:59 on Friday, August 21 hold a confirmed place. Entries received on or after Saturday, August 22 are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Entries close in each category as soon as the draw is full.

With the extension, places are no longer decided by combined DUPR rating as originally announced.

A payment form is sent individually once your entry is confirmed. Results are notified separately.

Players who do not secure a PRO place cannot transfer to an Amateur category.

No places are held back as wild cards. International players enter on the same basis as everyone else.

Amateur categories

To keep the PRO and Amateur fields clearly separated, a DUPR rating cap applies to the 19+ categories only. Players above the cap should enter a PRO category.

Men’s Doubles 19+Each player’s DUPR doubles rating must be 4.2 or under
Women’s Doubles 19+Each player’s DUPR doubles rating must be 4.0 or under
Mixed Doubles 19+Each player’s DUPR doubles rating must be 4.0 or under
AcceptanceFirst come, first served

The DUPR cap applies to the 19+ categories only. There is no DUPR cap in the 35+ and 50+ age categories.

Note that Mixed Doubles 19+ is 4.0 or under for both men and women.

For Amateur categories, DUPR ratings are taken at the time of entry.

Entry Fees & Registration

Fees and registration

Entry fee
  • PRO doubles: JPY 24,000 (tax included)　※per team
  • Amateur doubles: JPY 16,000 (tax included)　※per team
The PRO entry fee shows as JPY 0 on Tournated. This does not mean it is free. The entry fee is paid through a payment form sent to you once your entry is confirmed. Fees are charged in addition to the entry fee. A payment handling fee also applies when you pay through the payment form. Amounts are shown at the payment screen. Players belonging to a club registered with the former JPA receive a discount. Individually registered players are not eligible. The discount is applied based on your registration status at the time of entry. The discount is JPY 500 per player, up to JPY 1,000 per team in doubles. The discount cannot be applied retroactively once your entry is complete. Please check before entering.
How to enter
  • PRO: register on Tournated. Entries made by 23:59 on Friday, August 21 are confirmed; entries from Saturday, August 22 are first come, first served.
  • Amateur: register on Tournated (first come, first served).
A payment form is sent individually once your entry is confirmed. You may not enter both a PRO and an Amateur category. The only exceptions are the combinations that do not clash in the schedule: Men’s Doubles PRO plus Men’s Doubles 50+, and Women’s Doubles PRO plus Women’s Doubles 50+. If you have already entered an Amateur category and would like to move to a PRO category, please contact office@japanpickleball.org. We will assist you individually. If a PRO category is not full, the organizer may invite Amateur entrants, in descending DUPR order, to move up. If you accept, you pay the difference between the PRO and Amateur fees (JPY 8,000). If you decline, you keep your place in the Amateur category.
Payment Credit card Amateur: the entry fee and system fee are paid on the Tournated entry screen. PRO: the entry fee and payment handling fee are paid through the payment form sent after your entry is confirmed.
Entry period
PRO		 Monday, August 17, 9:00 – Monday, August 31, 19:59 (JST) (extended from Friday, August 21, 23:59) Entries made by 23:59 on Friday, August 21 are confirmed. From Saturday, August 22, places are first come, first served and close in each category as soon as the draw is full. Payment forms are sent in turn as entries are confirmed. Forms are sent to the email address you register with, so please check your mail settings.
Entry period
Amateur		 Monday, August 17, 20:00 – Monday, August 31, 19:59 (JST)
Payment deadline
PRO		 Payment forms are sent as entries are confirmed. Entered by 23:59 on Friday, August 21: pay by Tuesday, August 25, 23:59 (JST). Entered on or after Saturday, August 22: pay by Wednesday, September 2, 23:59 (JST). Your place is confirmed on payment. If payment is not received by the deadline, the entry is treated as withdrawn and the place is released for entry again. Entry fees are not refunded once paid.
Cancellation deadline
Amateur		 Monday, August 31, 19:59 (JST) System and handling fees are charged and are not refunded, even if you withdraw within the cancellation period. After the cancellation deadline, the full entry fee is payable and is not refunded. The timing of any refund depends on your card issuer.
Format & Rules

Match format

Format

PRO

  • Single elimination, with a consolation draw
  • Main draw: best of three games to 11, win by 2
  • Consolation: one game to 15, win by 2

Amateur

  • Round robin: one game to 11, win by 2
  • Main draw: one game to 15, win by 2
  • The top two teams from each round-robin group advance to the main draw (single elimination).

Depending on the number of entries, some categories may be round robin only.

Officiating

  • PRO: referees are assigned from the semi-finals onwards.
  • Amateur: referees are assigned to the placement matches (3rd place and final).
  • All other matches are self-officiated.
  • A head referee is on site. Any dispute over a call or over the running of play is settled by the head referee, whose decision is final.

Balls and paddles

  • PRO ball: Franklin X-40 (lime green)
  • Amateur ball: Franklin X-26 (lime green)
  • Paddles: USAP (USA Pickleball) approved, or UPA-A (United Pickleball Association of America) certified

Please check the current approved lists on the respective official websites.

Rules and score corrections

  • The tournament follows the PJ recommended conduct and rules, which are based on the regulations of USA Pickleball.
  • If a result is recorded incorrectly, please contact the organizer within one week of the tournament (by Sunday, September 27, 2026, 23:59 JST).
  • Contact: office@japanpickleball.org

Requests after that date cannot be accepted. Results are final once the period closes and are then reflected in the rankings.

Venue

Venue and access

The venue is within walking distance of the station. Travelling by train is recommended.

VENUE
Motoyama Seisakusho Aoba Arena
ADDRESS
1-1-5 Tsutsumimachi, Aoba-ku,
Sendai, Miyagi 981-0912, Japan
TRAIN
Sendai Subway Namboku Line, Kita-Sendai Station
5 min walk from Exit Kita 2
JR Senzan Line, Kita-Sendai Station　approx. 10 min walk
BUS
Sendai City Bus: Daihara-iriguchi, Kita-Sendai Eki or Hayamacho stop　5 min walk
Miyagi Kotsu Bus: Daihara-iriguchi or Kita-Sendai Eki stop　5 min walk

Parking

  • There is no dedicated parking for participants.
  • Paid car parks are available nearby, but spaces are limited.
Notes

Important notes

Cancellation and changes

  • The tournament may be cancelled or altered due to severe weather, earthquake or other disaster, the spread of infectious disease, venue circumstances or other unavoidable reasons.
  • If the organizer cancels the entire tournament before it begins, entry fees are refunded less system and payment handling fees.
  • No refund is given if the tournament is cancelled, suspended or shortened after play has begun.
  • No refund is given for non-participation due to personal circumstances such as travel disruption or illness.
  • Where a refund applies, the timing depends on your card issuer.

DUPR

  • A DUPR account is required in order to compete. You may be asked to show your rating.
  • Ratings are taken at the time of entry for both PRO and Amateur categories. DUPR doubles ratings are used in both cases.
  • If your rating is provisional, please self-rate in line with the rating guidelines.

Paddles

  • Only USAP or UPA-A certified models may be used. Paddles without a printed mark showing either certification cannot be used.
  • If a paddle remains certified but carries no mark, you must present documentation confirming this.

Categories

  • “+” means “aged and over”. For example, a 55-year-old may enter 50+, 35+ or 19+.
  • Entrants of high-school age and under must submit a parental consent form at check-in. The form is sent to those concerned once their entry is confirmed.
  • If a category has fewer than four entries, its round robin may be merged with another age category. Placement matches are still played within the original category.

Safety and insurance

  • Only first aid is provided for injuries and accidents during play.
  • Medical staff are on site.
  • The organizer holds recreational activity insurance.
  • Neither the venue nor the organizer is liable for accidents or theft.
  • Liability for damages rests with the party at fault.

Photography and image rights

  • Rights to images and footage taken during the tournament belong to the organizer.
  • If you film or publish your own matches, you must obtain your opponents’ permission.

On the day

  • You may be asked to change clothing that is close in colour to the ball.
  • Please follow the instructions of tournament officials and referees.
  • All players are treated equally.

The regulations may be amended in part as circumstances require.

Sponsors

Sponsors

Title Sponsor

THE SUPER SPORTS XEBIO THE SUPER SPORTS XEBIO
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be a registered PJ player?
No. You may enter whether or not you are registered, and all entrants are eligible for PJ ranking points regardless of registration.
Can I enter both a PRO and an Amateur category?
As a rule, no. The only exceptions are the combinations that do not clash in the schedule: Men’s Doubles PRO plus Men’s Doubles 50+, and Women’s Doubles PRO plus Women’s Doubles 50+. Note also that if you enter a PRO category and do not secure a place, you cannot then move to an Amateur category.
I have entered an Amateur category. Can I move to a PRO category?
Please contact office@japanpickleball.org and we will assist you individually. You cannot change your entry yourself on Tournated.
Why is there a DUPR cap on the 19+ categories?
To keep the PRO and Amateur fields clearly separated, a DUPR rating cap applies to the 19+ categories only. Players above the cap should enter a PRO category. The caps are 4.2 or under for Men’s Doubles, 4.0 or under for Women’s Doubles and 4.0 or under for Mixed Doubles (both men and women). There is no cap in the 35+ and 50+ categories.
How are PRO places decided?
The method has changed with the extension of the entry period. Pairs that entered by 23:59 on Friday, August 21 hold a confirmed place. From Saturday, August 22, places are first come, first served and close in each category as soon as the draw is full. Places are no longer decided by combined DUPR rating as originally announced. The six places in each category previously reserved for international players and organizer picks were opened to everyone on August 25, 2026, so the full draw is offered for entry.
Can Amateur entrants move up to a PRO category?
If a PRO category is not full, the organizer may invite Amateur entrants in descending DUPR order. If you accept, you pay the JPY 8,000 difference between the PRO and Amateur fees. If you decline, you keep your place in the Amateur category.
The PRO entry fee shows as JPY 0. Is it free?
No. The PRO entry fee is JPY 24,000 per team. Tournated shows JPY 0 because the fee is not collected at registration. Once your place is confirmed, you receive a payment form and pay the entry fee, plus a payment handling fee, from there.
Which paddles may I use?
Only USAP (USA Pickleball) approved or UPA-A (United Pickleball Association of America) certified models. Paddles without a printed mark showing either certification cannot be used. If a paddle remains certified but carries no mark, please bring documentation confirming this.
Is there parking at the venue?
There is no dedicated parking for participants. Paid car parks are available nearby but spaces are limited. The venue is within walking distance of Kita-Sendai Station, so travelling by train is recommended.
Entry

Entry & Match Day

Entries closed at 19:59 on Monday, August 31, 2026 (JST).

Players are asked to read the Player Handbook for arrival times, the venue guide and match formats. The draw, order of play and court allocation are published on the Tournated tournament page. They may change on the day, so please follow Tournated for the latest information.

Download the Player Handbook (PDF, Japanese)

Draw & results (Tournated)

Download the regulations (PDF, Japanese)

Contact：office@japanpickleball.org