VICTORIOUS VIBORA: Padel Ace Arnav Rawal Brings Heart and Heat to the Thai National Team
For many, the tennis court has long been an arena for the privileged — a sophisticated evolution of older racket and ball games that has given birth to legends like Björn Borg, Steffi Graf, Pete Sampras, Serena Williams, and Roger Federer.
Singles, doubles, Grand Slams — tennis undoubtedly carries a certain prestige and baptises its players in an aura of confidence unmatched by any other individualistic endeavour in sports.
However, modern tennis, whether on lawn or clay, isn’t the most accessible. It’s not without its barriers: cost, court availability, and a steep learning curve for the average Joe.
Padel, on the other hand, is a more flexible sport — enhanced by its accessibility, social interaction, and lower barrier to entry. Invented in 1969 in Mexico by Enrique and Viviana Corcuera, padel is less intimidating than tennis, played on a smaller court (usually doubles format) surrounded by glass or mesh walls, similar to squash.
The sport has grown rapidly in recent years — and for good reason. To capture its fervour and essence, I had the pleasure of meeting Arnav Rawal, a 25-year-old rising professional padel player representing Thailand’s men’s national team.
How did you first get into padel, and what drew you to the sport?
I’ve been playing racket sports my entire life. I started with tennis when I was around five years old and went on to play for both my school and university teams, competing regularly in local tournaments. Tennis was always a big part of my upbringing, so the transition to padel felt quite natural.
At first, I played padel casually with my brother, cousins, and friends — it was more of a fun weekend activity. But earlier this year, my close friend and former tennis teammate, Gem, invited me to join him in a few leagues and tournaments. We got some great results right away, and that really sparked my competitive drive again.
Since then, I’ve been training seriously and competing in tournaments such as the PadThai Championships, which we won, as well as the Thai Padel Association League and Masters events, where I finished third and second, respectively.
Despite a short setback due to an appendectomy mid-season, I was later invited to the national team tryouts — and eventually made it onto Team Thailand to compete at the FIP Asia Padel Cup 2025, representing my country on an international stage.
Padel is growing rapidly across Asia. What’s the scene like in Thailand?
The padel scene in Thailand is expanding at an incredible pace. What’s amazing is how diverse the community is — from casual social players to highly competitive athletes, all sharing the same courts.
Padel has become a space where people can socialise, exercise, and satisfy their competitive instincts. People from all kinds of sporting and cultural backgrounds are trying padel and quickly falling in love with it.
Locally, numerous tournaments and leagues happen almost every month, from community-driven events to major circuits like the Tops Padel League, Thai Padel Association tournaments, and the Thai Padel Series. Internationally, the FIP is also bringing more events to Thailand, helping the country establish itself as one of Asia’s leading padel destinations.
What does your training routine look like on a typical day?
I usually train four to five times a week — about two coaching sessions and two to three matches. Coaching has been crucial because, coming from a tennis background, many aspects of padel are counterintuitive — like using the glass effectively, controlling tempo, and making decisions in tight points.
I train privately with Nicolas del Rio Muradás and Alvaro Hernandez Orbradors, who both run the Tops Padel League and are elite professionals in Thailand. I also attend national team sessions twice a week.
Off the court, I focus on fitness, stretching, and recovery. I go to the gym, see a physio, and do mobility work to stay in peak condition.
Before tournaments — especially major ones like the FIP Asia Padel Cup — we have structured sessions with Gustavo Oriol, head coach at Padel Asia, and a pre-competition bootcamp with our team coach Dany Bressel, a former world-ranked pro.
I also spend time researching opponents, hitting with my partner, and visualising game scenarios — it helps me stay composed and clear-minded before matches.
How do you balance day-to-day responsibilities with competition?
Balancing everything is definitely a challenge, but I’ve found a rhythm that works. Professionally, I lead Business Development at Zentry, a crypto company at the intersection of blockchain and AI. Zentry is pioneering what we call the Human-Agentic OS, a platform where people and AI work together to expand human potential.
It’s an ambitious, fast-evolving space that constantly pushes me to learn, adapt, and think ahead. I also spend time trading and staying active within the Web3 landscape, which I’ve always been passionate about.
Despite a demanding schedule, staying connected with my family — my mom, brother, and cousins — is incredibly important. That strong family dynamic keeps me grounded and provides balance outside of work and sport.
My social life often overlaps with padel, since many of my closest friends play, so it’s a great way to stay active and connected. Training usually happens in the evenings after work, which helps me reset mentally.
Balancing work, sport, family, and social life takes discipline, but when each part complements the other, it makes everything more sustainable and fulfilling.
What are your short and long-term goals as a padel player?
In the short term, I want to continue improving my overall game, competing in more high-level tournaments, and representing Thailand internationally.
Long term, I’d love to play a role in shaping Thailand’s position on the global padel map — whether as a player, mentor, or contributor to the sport’s growth in Asia.
What would it mean, as a Thai-Indian, to put Thailand on the global padel map?
It means a lot to me because I feel I’m representing both my Thai and Indian roots every time I step on court. My hope is to inspire more people, especially those from multicultural backgrounds, to get into padel — whether to compete seriously or simply enjoy it as a fun, healthy outlet.
Thailand is also at a very exciting stage for padel. We’re seeing rapid growth, with new courts opening in Bangkok, Phuket, Samui, and beyond. The Thai Padel Association, led by a very active president, is working tirelessly to make the sport more accessible and bring in international tournaments.
It’s an honour to be part of that journey and help Thailand gain global recognition in the sport.
What can be done to encourage more young players to take up padel?
The key is both access and awareness. As more adults discover padel and it becomes more visible on social media, juniors will naturally start picking it up — just like in countries where padel is already mainstream.
We can support this by organising youth clinics, integrating padel into school programs, and showcasing local tournaments so that kids see role models to look up to.
The sport is incredibly inclusive and fun to learn — once young players get a taste of it, they tend to stay hooked.
What does the future look like for you — and for padel in Thailand?
I plan to continue competing internationally and collaborate with others to grow the local padel community. There’s so much potential in Thailand — not just in facilities but also talent and enthusiasm.
Within five years, I believe we’ll see an abundance of clubs, a structured professional circuit, and youth programs nurturing the next generation of players.
Among the Thai-Indian community, I’m already seeing more and more players joining — both recreationally and competitively — and I’d love to see that momentum continue to build.