Kyan Yap is not just building courts—he’s building culture. With The PxP Pickleball Club, he has created Southeast Asia’s first premium indoor pickleball lifestyle club, where sport, design, hospitality, wellness, and community collide. Located at the elite address of Pavilion Damansara Heights, the city’s haut monde gather not only to play the widely followed sport, but also for single mixers, Pilates classes, and F1 race screenings.
A Look Inside The PxP Pickleball Club
After games, players cool down with Tap Tap cocktails from the club’s contemporary bar and indulge in Wagyu Char Koay Teow from the restaurant. They can also unwind in the tastefully appointed bathrooms, which are fitted with a sauna and a cold plunge tub. PxP has even hosted some of the top players in the game such as Tyson McGuffin and Anna Bright. “The idea is to create an urban country club, where families can choose activities that they enjoy doing and socialise,” he says.
“I call myself a serial entrepreneur of sorts,” Yap adds. “I enjoy building businesses and things. If I see a good opportunity, I try to grab it.” Beyond PxP, Yap is working on developing platforms such as Picklephoria, a lifestyle festival, and Pickleforum, a conference for people in pickleball as well as health and wellness industries to come together to share ideas. The goal is simple but would take considerable effort to realise: to turn a fast-growing sport into a global lifestyle movement.
Yap inherited a keen sense for business from his father, Dato Yap Kim San, one of the pioneering Malaysian Chinese owners to have ventured into international racing, both as a racehorse owner and breeder. Working closely together, father and son jointly identified and secured the yearling Sacred Falls, embarking on a shared ownership journey that would define their legacy in the sport. Under the Raffles Racing banner, Sacred Falls went on to become one of the standout milers of his generation, capturing the Doncaster Handicap twice and achieving a total of four Group One victories. Today, Raffles Racing stands as one of the most successful Asian-owned racing and breeding operations in Australia and New Zealand, with Yap now at the helm of the business.
What does ‘community’ mean to you in the context of your pickleball business?
Community is everything. PxP isn’t about memberships—it’s about belonging. On any given day, you’ll see royalty sharing a rally with rookies, CEOs playing with students, and grandparents rallying with kids. Titles disappear on court. That’s the magic.
How do you approach content creation in a way that feels strategic yet personal?
I don’t ‘create content’—I document real life. The long nights, the chaos, the wins, the failures, the people. Strategy gives it structure, but truth gives it impact. If it feels too perfect, it’s probably not real enough.
Who has been your most memorable guest at PxP?
We have hosted the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, and the Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V. We’ve also hosted Members of Parliament from both government and opposition parties, including Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, who gathered for a symbolic match that demonstrated how pickleball can foster inclusivity.
What is the best advice you received that changed your life?
My father told me, “Be good to people on the way up—you’ll meet them again on the way down.” That taught me to lead with respect, kindness, and accountability. Karma is real, and reputation always travels faster than success.
What is your best memory from the court?
Watching complete strangers become genuine friends in under two hours. I’ve built many businesses—but that feeling never gets old.
Besides pickleball, what is your favourite sport?
Horse racing. It’s a sport of heritage, adrenaline, heartbreak, and euphoria all at once, and it shaped how I understand risk, timing, and belief.
What has been the best horse’s name you’ve heard, either your own or one you’ve come across?
Shamrocker—our first dual Group 1-winning mare. The shamrock symbolises luck, resilience, and success, and she has truly lived up to the meaning in every way.
What is the best wine you have in your collection?
A signed bottle of 2010 Pétrus by Jean-Pierre Moueix is the crown jewel of my collection. But, truthfully, the best bottle is always the one opened at the right table, at the right time, with the right people.
Is there a specific wine region you’re hoping to visit?
China is a fast-growing producer of world-class wines, and I’m interested to see what is going on there.
