Beach Tennis Brings a Fresh Summer Vibe to Sports Festival 2026
Making its debut at Sports Festival 2026, Beach Tennis is set to become one of the event's most exciting highlights, bringing a fresh energy to Lam Dong's summer sports and tourism calendar. Combining speed, skill and spectacular rallies on sand against a stunning coastal backdrop, the fast-growing international sport is expected to attract athletes, tourists and sports enthusiasts alike.
From August 14 to 16, the Beach Tennis Championship will take place at Tien Thanh Beach as part of Sports Festival 2026. More than simply introducing a new competition, the tournament offers Vietnamese audiences an opportunity to experience firsthand one of the world's fastest-growing beach sports.
A Unique Blend of Tennis and Beach Volleyball
Beach Tennis originated in Italy in the early 1970s, combining the technical elements of traditional tennis with the continuous rallies of badminton and the dynamic atmosphere of beach volleyball.
The sport is played on a sand court similar in size to a beach volleyball court. Players use solid paddles instead of strung rackets and compete with low-compression tennis balls. One of its defining rules is that the ball must never touch the sand, resulting in fast-paced rallies that demand quick reflexes, explosive movement, athletic jumping ability and seamless teamwork.
Its simple rules, minimal physical contact, accessibility across different age groups and highly entertaining style have contributed to the sport's rapid expansion, particularly in countries with long coastlines.
From Recreational Activity to International Competition
Over the past five decades, Beach Tennis has evolved from a recreational pastime along the Mediterranean coast into a globally recognized competitive sport.
According to the International Tennis Federation (ITF), Beach Tennis now features a structured competition system ranging from national championships to continental and world championships. The ITF oversees these events and player rankings, providing a professional framework for the sport's continued development worldwide.
According to statistics presented by the Vietnam Tennis Federation at the 2024 Beach Tennis Development Seminar, the sport is now played in more than 53 countries, with particularly strong participation in Italy, Brazil, Spain, the United States and the United Kingdom. Many countries have established national championships, junior competitions, age-group tournaments and annual professional circuits.
Beach Tennis has also been included in the official competition programs of numerous regional and continental multi-sport events, reflecting its growing international popularity and competitive status.
Vietnam Is Building a Strong Foundation
Although still relatively new in Vietnam, Beach Tennis has gained encouraging momentum in recent years.
The country's inaugural National Beach Tennis Championship was held at Hai Tien Beach in Thanh Hoa Province in 2022. The tournament subsequently moved to Quang Nam Province in 2023 before returning to Sam Son Beach in 2024, with the overall level of competition continuing to improve each year.
Today, Beach Tennis clubs have been established in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Bac Ninh and Nghe An, attracting an increasing number of participants.
In May 2024, the Vietnam Tennis Federation, together with partner organizations, organized the Beach Tennis Development Seminar in Vietnam to formulate a long-term development strategy. The federation aims to reach approximately 8,000 active participants by 2026, establish a standardized annual national championship system, host international tournaments in Vietnam, and develop a national Beach Tennis training center.
Experts believe Vietnam possesses significant advantages for developing the sport thanks to its 3,260-kilometre coastline, abundant sandy beaches and increasingly well-developed tourism infrastructure. Hosting Beach Tennis events not only raises sporting standards but also creates new tourism products, attracts visitors and promotes local destinations.
A New Highlight of Sports Festival 2026
The inclusion of Beach Tennis in Sports Festival 2026 reflects the event's commitment to expanding modern beach sports that capitalize on Lam Dong's coastal advantages.
The championship will be held from August 14 to 16 at Tien Thanh Beach, whose wide sandy shoreline and open coastal setting provide ideal conditions for outdoor sporting events.
Spectators can expect thrilling diving saves, powerful smashes, spectacular rallies and exciting teamwork while enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of a beach sports festival that seamlessly combines competition, entertainment and tourism.
As beach sports continue to gain popularity worldwide, the introduction of Beach Tennis at Sports Festival 2026 represents more than the addition of a new event. It also provides an opportunity to promote Vietnam's coastal destinations, encourage community participation in sport and strengthen the country's integration into the rapidly growing global beach sports movement.
Sports Festival 2026 has been significantly expanded in both scale and sporting content. According to the event plan, the festival will run from July through September and feature 12 competitions across a wide range of sports. It is expected to attract around 17,000 athletes and guests from Vietnam and abroad. In addition to the disciplines that proved successful during the inaugural edition, this year's program introduces several new events, including the National Youth Triathlon Championship and the Beach Tennis Championship. The festival will also strengthen its international profile with the participation of sports clubs, athletes and police delegations from ASEAN member states in the 2026 ASEAN Police Open Golf Tournament.