One of Bermuda’s top pickleball players Imani Phillips reached the semi-finals of the women’s advanced 19+ division at the Petrolimex Saigon Cup in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

At an event that was part of D-Joy Pickleball Tour 2026 Leg 3, Phillips was bested 15-8 by local girl Tran Diem Ngoc in the semi-finals before losing the bronze medal match at the competitive amateur and semi-professional level.

In the tougher open category, the Bermudian was eliminated by American Bobbi Oshiro in the round of 16.

“The draw just worked in my favour and I made it to the semi-finals then I lost,” Phillips told The Royal Gazette.

“But it changed the way I look at the game completely. It felt like it was time to change up everything.

“So I train differently with new people. I changed the whole strategy because the old one wasn’t working and I think I learnt that in this tournament.”

Phillips now heads to China for her next tournament, where she hopes to pick up where she left off in Vietnam.

“I’m on my way to China for a tournament in Baotou,” the 24-year-old said.

“I’ve been training for over a week since D-Joy implementing some new shots. I’m keen to see how that will work for me.”