Padel Pilipinas makes historic Asian Games debut as Abad, Malazarte break into Asia’s Top 4
MANILA, Philippines — From the bottom seed to the final four, Filipino national athletes Danna Abad and Joshea Malazarte delivered a breakthrough performance for padel at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
The youngest pair in Team Padel Pilipinas entered the women’s draw as the No. 23 seed — the lowest-seeded pair in the 23-team field — but battled through three rounds of competition to earn a semifinal berth in padel’s historic Asian Games debut.
Held at the Higashi Sports Center from September 28 to October 3, the padel competition brought together 13 nations — the Philippines, Lebanon, Qatar, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Japan, with Saudi Arabia competing exclusively in the women’s division.
“Being part of the Asian Games is a huge step for padel in the Philippines. Our athletes showed that they can compete on this stage, and more importantly, they gained the experience of going up against some of the best in Asia. This is an important foundation for where we want to take the sport next,” said Padel Pilipinas President Jeff Cheng.
In the first match of Team Philippines, Abad and Malazarte opened with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 victory over Saudi Arabia’s Samaher Alkurdi and Lina Alabdullatif, immediately setting the tone for what would become a breakthrough showing.
National Team Captain LA Cañizares and Jason Tamayo followed with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Indonesia’s Christian Alvin Edison and Giorgio Soermarno, while Tao Yee Tan and Marian Capadocia battled Kazakhstan’s Albina Khabibulina and Mariya Sinitsyna to a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 victory.
The Round of 16 brought another pair of victories for the Philippines, with Abad and Malazarte overcoming Hong Kong’s Venise Chan and Hiu Wai Lau, 6-1, 6(5)-7, 6-3, in a tightly contested three-set battle. Cañizares and Tamayo also advanced after defeating Hong Kong’s Kwan Lam Vincent Chau and Lok Pui Lawrence Lo, 6-2, 6-2.
Tan and Capadocia, meanwhile, bowed out after a closely contested three-set match against Hong Kong’s Hiu Laam Chan and Yik Yan Law, falling 7-5, 4-6, 4-6. The Philippines’ second men’s pair, Abdulqoahar Allian and Raymark Gulfo, also concluded their campaign after losing to the United Arab Emirates’ Fares Al Janahi and Abdullah Alabdulla.
Abad and Malazarte kept their momentum rolling in the quarterfinals, overcoming Iran’s Saba Najafi Dehaghi and Neda Mohammad Taghipour, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, to punch their ticket to the semifinals.
On the other hand, Cañizares and Tamayo faced a tough quarterfinal challenge against Malaysia’s Christian Didier Chin Zao Quan and Aidan Yunus. After taking the second set, the Filipino pair ultimately fell 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, bringing their run to a close.
Entering the tournament as the No. 23 seed — the lowest-seeded pair in a 23-pair field — Abad and Malazarte quickly became one of the tournament’s surprise stories. They climbed through the draw, knocking out higher-ranked opposition and earning their place among the final four, alongside three top-seeded teams: Japan’s No. 2 seed and Indonesia’s No. 3 and No. 7 seeds.
In the semifinals, the duo faced Indonesia’s Fadona Kusumawati and Fitriani Sabatini. They lost and returned to compete for bronze against Indonesia’s Novela Putria and Beatrice Gumulya, ultimately finishing fourth.
From the bottom seed to the final four, Abad and Malazarte became one of the defining moments at the Asian Games. Securing Top 4 in Asia marked a breakthrough for the next generation of padel in the Philippines.
Secretary General Duane Santos said, “We are proud of how every athlete represented the Philippines in Nagoya. Some matches did not go our way, but each pair showed resilience, competed hard, and gained valuable experience on the Asian Games stage. This is only the beginning, and we look forward to seeing these athletes continue to grow and push the sport forward. Our focus now is on building a stronger pipeline of athletes through grassroots programs, developing young players from an early age, and giving them more opportunities to train and compete. We want to make sure that the next generation has the foundation and support to take padel in the Philippines even further.”
Senator Pia Cayetano, a competitive padel player and the founder of Padel Pilipinas, marvelled at Team Philippine’s showing in the first ever padel tournament in the Asian Games. She said, “I’ve seen the work our players have put in and think we’ve been able to show that with proper and consistent training throughout the year, and the support our national team receives, we can compete on the Asian stage.” The team’s campaign was backed by a dedicated coaching staff led by Head Coach Bryan Casao, with Coach Tomás Vasco, Mental Performance Coach Ayel Estrañero, Strength and Conditioning Coach Jaric Lavalle, and Coach Eric Marquez working together to prepare the athletes for the competition.
The national padel athletes showed grit, composure, and competitive fire against some of Asia’s strongest. Together, they carried the flag with honor and made the country’s historic padel debut one to remember. The result provides a strong foundation for the continued growth of the sport and the athletes who will carry the sport forward. TMT
