We are at the time of year where fans of the game of padel start speculating about who will partner with who in the coming season.
Therefore it is logical to examine the best female padel players in the world so that we can get a sense of how the new partnerships will match up as the new season gets underway.
As we enter the 2020 season let’s learn some interesting facts about the 10 best women padel players and their journey to the top.
1. Marta Marrero Marrero
- Nationality: Spanish
- Born: 16 January 1983 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
- Residence: Barcelona, Spain
- Height: 1,73m
- Preferred Playing Position: Backhand court
- WPT Matches played: 251
- Win/Loss Ratio: 198/53
- WPT Best Win Streak: 16
- WPT Pro Since: 2013
- WPT Career Tournament Titles: 23 (7 in 2019)
- Playing Partner 2019: Marta Ortega Gallego
Early Career: Marta Marrero is no stranger to racket sports. She is a former professional tennis player. She reached a career-high ranking of 47 in the WTA. She reached the quarterfinals of the French Open, won two WTA doubles titles, plus a total of 13 International Tennis Federation singles and doubles titles. She retired from professional tennis in 2010. Her WPT padel career started three years later in 2013 with her winning many titles over the next five years.
New Partner 2020: Marta Morrero’s playing partner for the 2020 season was just announced to be Paula Josemaría Martin, currently ranked number 6 and one of the few left-handed players on the WPT circuit. This should be interesting to watch. I can’t wait to see the results!
2. Marta Ortega Gallego
- Nationality: Spanish
- Born: 14 February 1997 in Madrid, Spain
- Residence: Madrid, Spain
- Height: 1,70
- Preferred Playing Position: Forehand court
- WPT Matches played: 231
- Win/Loss Ratio: 161/70
- WPT Best Win Streak: 9
- WPT Pro Since: 2013
- WPT Career Tournament Titles: 10 (7 in 2019)
- Playing Partner 2019: Marta Marrero Marrero
Early Career: Before turning professional, Marta Ortega played alongside Ariana (Ari) Sánchez in amateur tournaments. (Ari is currently equal number 3 ranked with Alejandra Salazar, her 2019 playing partner.)
Martha’s WPT career really took off after she paired up again with Ariana (Ari) Sánchez in the summer of 2016. The pair enjoyed a stellar 2017 -18 season and went on to win many titles during this time. At the end of the 2018 season, Marta O and Ari Sánchez split as a couple. Martha O then teamed up with Marta Marrero as her new partner for 2019, enjoying one of the best seasons of her career.
New Partner 2020: Marta O splits from Marta Marrero and will team up with newcomer Beatrice (Bea) González for the 2020 season. Bea has had a phenomenal season and showed that she has what it takes to get to the top. No doubt, the combination of Marta O and Bea Gonzalez will electrify the court. We’ll be following Marta and Bea’s progress with great excitement.
3. Alejandra Salazar Bengoechea
- Nationality: Spain
- Born: 31 December 1985 in Madrid, Spain
- Residence: Madrid, Spain
- Height: 1,68m
- Preferred Playing Position: Forehand Court
- WPT Matches played: 233
- Win/Loss Ratio: 188/45
- WPT Best Win Streak: 16
- WPT Pro Since: 2013
- WPT Career Tournament Titles: 23 (4 in 2019)
- Playing Partner 2019: Ariana Sanchez Fallada
Early Career: Alejandra’s winning streak with partner Ariana Sánchez started as early as 2015. They are referred to as “Ale and Ari” on-court, a formidable pair hard to beat. They have since won several titles and are currently equal ranked number 3 on the WPT 2019 rankings.
Partners 2020: For the time being, it seems Ale and Ali will continue their winning partnership into the new season since they have not announced any plans to split up and join new partners for 2020.
Let’s cross fingers because we love watching the “Ale and Ari” magic!
4. Ariana Sanchez Fallada
- Nationality: Spain
- Born: 17 July 1997 in Reus, Spain
- Residence: Barcelona, Spain
- Height: 1,65m
- Preferred Playing Position: Backhand court
- WPT Matches played: 200
- Win/Loss Ratio: 130/70
- WPT Best Win Streak: 8
- WPT Pro Since: 2013
- WPT Career Tournament Titles: 7 (4 in 2019)
- Playing Partner 2019: Alejandra Salazar Bengoechea
Early Career: Before turning professional, Ariana Sánchez (“Ari), teamed up with Marta Ortega playing the amateur circuit. This was a great start to the future careers of both women.
Ari’s career really kicked off in 2016 and went from strength to strength, pairing with strong up-and-coming players on the WPT circuit amongst others, Paula Eyheraguibel. Ari and Paula enjoyed many victories and suffer some losses during their two-years playing as a team. At the end of the 2018 season, they separated as a couple, making Alejandra (Ale) Salazar her new partner for 2019.
Ari and Ale are currently ranked number 3 on the WPT ranking and seem to continue playing their winning ways for the 2020 season.
5. Maria Jose Sanchez Alayeto
- Nationality: Spain
- Born: 20 June 1984 in Zaragoza, Spain
- Residence: Madrid, Spain
- Height: 1,73m
- Preferred Playing Position: Backhand court
- WPT Matches played: 267
- Win/Loss Ratio: 220/47
- WPT Best Win Streak: 30
- WPT Pro Since: 2013
- WPT Career Tournament Titles: 29 (1 in 2019)
- Playing Partner 2019: Maria Pilar Sanchez Alayeto
Early Career: Majo Sánchez started playing tennis in 2003 along with her twin sister, Mapi Sánchez. They quickly rose to the top playing doubles and went on to become the Spanish Doubles Champion. They quit playing tennis after they enrolled in social studies.
The twins also referred to as the “Atomic Twins”, started playing paddle in 2007 and have never looked back. They turned professional in 2009 when they signed up for the Padel Pro Tour. Since then, they have achieved many successes, among which were the Paddle World Cup and the Master Finals. They were top-ranked for four seasons (2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018) before Mapi’s shoulder injury put a stop to their winning streak in early 2019. With Mapi injured and having to undergo surgery, Majo had to find a replacement partner to continue playing the rest of the season. Majo teamed up with the young and upcoming star, Delfi Brie from Argentina ending the season on a high note as the individual fifth-ranked on WPT ranking list.
Partners 2020: We’re looking forward to seeing and watching the “Atomic Twins” back in full force taking control of the court once again in 2020.
6. Ana Catarina Nogueira
- Nationality: Portugal
- Born: 20 September 1978 in Oporto, Portugal
- Residence: Porto, Portugal
- Height: 1,71m
- Preferred Playing Position: Backhand court
- WPT Matches played: 162
- Win/Loss Ratio: 91/71
- WPT Best Win Streak: 7
- WPT Pro Since: 2013
- WPT Career Tournament Titles: 2 (1 in 2019)
- Playing Partner 2019: Paula Josemaria Martin
Early Career: Ana Nogueira started her illustrious career as a tennis player. She holds the Portugal Fed Cup record for most ties played and is the most successful doubles player in the team’s history. She was selected to the Portuguese Fed Cup team 36 times between 1997 and 2008, winning 22 matches, 16 of which were in doubles.
Nogueira also won three International Tennis Federation (ITF) singles titles and reached a ranking of 383 in the world. Since then she has become a force to be reckoned with on the World Padel Tour circuit. In 2018 she became the first Portuguese player to win a tournament. She is very competitive and has always enjoyed practicing several sports, including rowing, as a way to stay fit and remain competitive. Clearly Ana is here to stay on and off the court.
Her goal is to help develop and spread padel as a sport in Portugal.
Partner 2020: To be announced.
7. Paula Josemaria Martin
- Nationality: Spain
- Born: 31 October 1996 in Moraleja, Caceres, Spain
- Residence: Valladolid, Spain
- Height: 1,60m
- Preferred Playing Position: Forehand court
- WPT Matches played: 105
- Win/Loss Ratio: 53/52
- WPT Best Win Streak: 7
- WPT Pro Since: 2014
- WPT Career Tournament Titles: 1 (1 in 2019)
- Playing Partner 2019: Ana Catarina Nogueira
Early career: Paula Josemaria Martin, from Portuguese descent, started her career as a tennis player but switched to padel six years ago. However, her padel career happened by chance, as she herself has stated in many interviews. It all started at the Cabezarrubia Tennis Club, in Cáceres, Spain when she signed up for playing in a tournament … which she won with her father’s racket! She practices two hours every day and is known as an aggressive and fearless player.
New Partner 2020: After a great year enjoying many successes, Paula announced her split from Ana Catarina Nogueira, her 2019 playing partner. Paula will be teaming up with Marta Marrero for the 2020 season. We’re looking forward to watching these two greats take control of the court once again in their fight to reach the top spot.
8. Gemma Triay Pons
- Nationality: Spain
- Born: 28 June 1992 in Mahon, Menorca, Spain
- Residence: Barcelona, Spain
- Height: 1,73m
- Preferred Playing Position: Backhand court
- WPT Matches played: 209
- Win/Loss Ratio: 141/68
- WPT Best Win Streak: 11
- WPT Pro Since: 2013
- WPT Career Tournament Titles: 7 (1 in 2019)
- Playing Partner 2019: Lucia Sainz Pelegri
Early Career: Gemma, like so many other padel players, started her career playing tennis at an early age. She soon started winning junior championships in both Menorca and the other Balearic Islands, which allowed her to advance to the Mallorca Tournament at age 14. She obtained great results but an injury sidelined her career which forced her to stop playing tennis. She quit tennis in 2010 and started her studies at Barcelona University. Here she obtained an MBA in Sports Management.
She turned professional in 2013 when she started playing the Catalan padel circuit, quickly rising to the top, finishing the 2017 season second-ranked. Known as a highly competitive player, she was awarded the 2017 WPT Best Player title.
Gemma has been playing alongside the very experienced and talented Lucía Sainz since 2016. In just two seasons, they have advanced from sixth-ranked to WPT second-ranked by end of 2017.
Partners 2020: Currently ranked number eight, this power couple will continue their fight for the top spot on the WPT ranking in 2020. Can they do it? This is getting exciting!
9. Lucia Sainz Pelegri
- Nationality: Spain
- Born: 5 October 1984 in Barcelona, Spain
- Residence: Barcelona, Spain
- Height: 1,73
- Preferred Playing Position: Forehand court
- WPT Matches played: 220
- Win/Loss Ratio: 150/70
- WPT Best Win Streak: 11
- WPT Pro Since: 2013
- WPT Career Tournament Titles: 7 (1 in 2019)
- Playing Partner 2019: Gemma Triay Pons
Lucia Sainz Pelegri’s career in racket sports started early. She played tennis from the age of 5 to 18 at the RC de Polo de Barcelona. In between tennis, she also started to compete in junior padel tournaments where she quickly made her mark. At age 18 she won a sports scholarship to Fresno, CA (USA) to study and compete with the university team. After the American adventure, she spent two years playing professional tennis until the end of 2009. She started her padel career in 2010 while working as a tennis promoter.
However, in 2012, she decided to play padel full time. Since then, her career has grown from strength to strength and by 2018 she came close to ending the year ranked second on the WPT Rankings.
Partners 2020: She’s been partnered with Gemma Triay since 2016 and are currently equal ranked eight on the WPT ranking list. The 2020 season will see this dynamic pair once again taking on the best of the best in the fight for the number one spot.
10. Elisabet Amatirain Armas
- Nationality: Spain
- Born: 10 March 1984 in Logrono, La Rioja, Spain
- Residence: Madrid, Spain
- Height: 1,61
- Preferred Playing Position: Forehand court
- WPT Matches played: 246
- Win/Loss Ratio: 174/72
- WPT Best Win Streak: 7
- WPT Pro Since: 2013
- WPT Career Tournament Titles: 6 (0 in 2019)
- Playing Partner 2019: Patricia Llaguno Zielinski
Eli Amatriain has always been sporty since she was young and couldn’t spend a day without playing some sport in one form or the other. She started playing tennis from a young age, competing up to the age of 17.
She discovered padel by chance when she started her studies specializing in physical education. She was invited by friends to join them for a fun game of padel. Eli immediately got hooked on the game. She saw padel as a way of getting back into playing competitive sport while studying.
She soon started her rise to the top. But it was when she teamed up with Patricia (Patty) Llaguno in 2012 that her star really started to shine. Two seasons later saw the pair reached number one, becoming the leaders of international women’s paddle. Eli was named as the best right-hand player of the 2013 World Padel Tour circuit.
Partners 2020: Eli and Patty will continue their winning partnership for the 2020 season in their drive to reach the number one spot once again.
11. Patricia Llaguno Zielinski
- Nationality: Spain
- Born: 25 February 1985 in Cartagena, Murcia, Spain
- Residence: Madrid, Spain
- Height: 1,67m
- Preferred Playing Position: Backhand court
- WPT Matches played: 246
- Win/Loss Ratio: 174/72
- WPT Best Win Streak: 7
- WPT Pro Since: 2013
- WPT Career Tournament Titles: 6 (0 in 2019)
- Playing Partner 2019: Elisabet Amatirain Armas
Patty Llaguno Zielinski’s padel career started in the CLUB DOS MARES, Cartagena, Spain. Her passion for padel was developed at a very young age thanks to her parents, who started two paddle courts at the club when she was only three years old. At age 10 she was already competing in amateur tournaments.
By the age of 17, she had already won various junior titles, including the U-12, U-14, U-16 and U-18 Championships, nationally as well as internationally. She was awarded the Best Sportsman of the Year award in her hometown of Cartagena in 2003.
After she completed her BA studies in 2003, she obtained a tennis scholarship from Berry Collage in Atlanta (USA) to study Marketing and Business. During this time, she quit padel in favor of tennis, competing in many championships. After having completed her tennis scholarship, she continued her studies in the US where she embarked on her new sports career in soccer or football as it is popularly known in Spain. She played in several tournaments for her college team during the final season before she returned to Spain in 2007. Back in Spain, she resumed her padel career and re-joined the WPT circuit in 2008 followed by many victories.
Partners 2020: Patty and Eli Amatriain will continue their dynamic partnership for the 2020 season in their drive to reach the number one spot once again. Can they do it?
Who is your favorite couple for 2020? Who do you think will win the Masters Final and take the number one spot at the end of the season? Leave your comments below.