Padel in the Philippines is booming and much of that is down to one woman, Alenna Dawn. With a background in engineering, Alenna took on the challenge of building the country’s first padel club during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her mission? To transform not just the sport, but also societal attitudes in the Philippines, where outdoor activities in the heat were once unpopular. Today, she is the driving force behind the Philippine Padel Association, the Women’s Padel Association, and the CEO of the rapidly expanding Manila Padel Club. Despite her full schedule, Alenna found time to sit down with us at Cage 91 to share her journey and thoughts about the future of padel in the Philippines.
Changing Attitudes
2020 and the Covid pandemic disrupted lives across the globe, forcing many to rethink how they spent their time and engaged in hobbies. Whilst daunting at the time, many of these adjustments have led to long-term benefits and opened the door to new and exciting projects. In the Philippines and Manilla in particular this was very much the case. The usual day-to-day hobbies of going to the mall and air-conditioned gyms had to be put aside and the previously incomprehensible idea of exercising outside in the sun was suddenly not quite so far-fetched. For Alenna, this opened up an opportunity and Manilla Padel Club was born.
“We had the idea in 2020, but building in Manilla at any time is difficult, but during Covid it became close to impossible. Labour is very cheap but this also means that projects become unnecessarily extended. Alongside this, issues with corruption and a years delay in getting permits and licences meant that although the club was close to being completed towards the end of 2021 it could not fully open until October 2022. In the meantime it became a speakeasy padel club, with friends and family being invited to play whilst the club was not fully licensed!”
What began as a small, tight-knit group of players has since exploded into a community of over 12,000 active participants. The once-unfathomable idea of playing under the sun has now become a major draw, with a second Manila Padel Club already open and three more in development. Alenna’s efforts have shifted attitudes toward both exercise and the sport itself, making padel a popular and growing pastime in the heart of urban Philippines.
Growing the Women’s Game
Coming from the male-dominated field of engineering, Alenna was no stranger to pushing for gender equality in her work. “I’ve always advocated for women in STEM, in tech—and now, in padel,” she explains.
Her leadership and mentorship have created an inclusive and vibrant padel scene in Manila, where 45% of participants are women, and they are among the most active, often spearheading social and competitive events.
In February 2024, Manilla Padel Club played host to the Asia Pacific Padel Tour, an event which prompted significant change for womens padel around the world. With the tour not offering equal prize money for men and women at the time, Alenna has subsequently taken it upon herself to set up the Womens Padel Association. The organisation is focused on reducing the gaps between the men’s and womens game and creating equal opportunity for all.
Upcoming Challenges
With Manilla Padel Club flying and courts opening around the country increasing participation and overall interest, the next challenge is growing the professional side of the game. The Philippine Padel Association, which Alenna chairs, recently received approval from the International Padel Federation (FIP) and in September 2024, the national team competed in the World Padel Championships’ Asia-Africa Qualifiers in Kuwait. With the women’s team placing 4th – a strong showing that underscores the nation’s potential on the global stage, the future is looking bright.
However, the path forward isn’t without obstacles. Despite international recognition, local acknowledgement as the sport’s governing body has been hindered by bureaucratic red tape and internal politics. While the Philippine government offers generous grants and support for recognized sports, these resources remain out of reach for padel. In the meantime, 50% of the national team’s funding comes from the Manila Padel Club, which also serves as their primary training facility. With securing local recognition, Alenna and the Philippine Padel Association will look to build a high-quality development centre to help accelerate the progress of the athletes and cement the nation as one of the best in the world.