Aisha Alawadhi is helping shape the future of women’s padel in the UAE.
In just a few short years, padel has gone from a fast-growing trend to one of the UAE’s most popular sports. And right in the middle of that rise is Aisha Alawadhi, an Emirati padel player competing at national and international level.
She’s also made history as the first Emirati woman to earn an international padel ranking, which is a huge moment for the sport and for women’s representation in UAE padel.
From tennis to padel
Before padel, Aisha’s sporting background was all about tennis. From 2008 to 2014, tennis was the sport she properly connected with, helping her build discipline from a young age.
After focusing on school and university, she stepped away from tennis for a while. Then, after returning home from her studies in London, her siblings introduced her to padel in August 2022.
And it didn’t take long for things to click.
By September 2022, Aisha had already won her first padel tournament. From there, the momentum kept building.
Aisha Alawadhi’s rise in UAE padel
Aisha’s progress in padel has been seriously quick. In January 2023, she was sponsored by Padel Point, and just a month later, she won the WPT Wild Card Championship.
By April 2023, she had secured her first UAEPA tournament win, before being sponsored by 700 Padel and Fitness in August 2023.
The following year brought another big milestone, with Aisha claiming her first GCC win in May 2024. Then, in September 2024, she earned her first UAE National Team call-up, giving her the chance to represent her country on an even bigger stage.
Her results kept coming too. In February 2025, she finished runner-up at a GCC tournament in Bahrain, before becoming UAEPA champion for the second time in March 2025.
Making history for Emirati women
Aisha becoming the first Emirati woman to earn an international padel ranking is a massive step for the sport.
For her, representation means showing up authentically, working hard, and proving that progress comes with consistency. She’s spoken about wanting to represent not only the UAE, but also the younger generation of girls who might be curious about sport but unsure where to start.
That’s what makes her journey so exciting. Aisha isn’t just competing. She’s helping show what’s possible for Emirati women in padel.
Why Aisha Alawadhi is one to watch
Padel is growing fast across the UAE, especially among women, and Aisha is part of the reason that movement feels so exciting.
Her story has the perfect mix of talent, hard work and timing. She picked up padel in 2022, started winning almost straight away, earned national team recognition, and became the first Emirati woman to gain an international ranking.
For young Emirati girls watching the sport grow, that’s huge.
And with women’s padel in the UAE only getting bigger, Aisha Alawadhi is definitely a name worth knowing.
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