Filipino padel players, led by Marian Capadocia and Joan Tao Yee Tan, are set to make an impact in the Manila leg of the ongoing 2025 Asia Pacific Padel Tour (APPT), taking place at the Play Padel courts in Mandaluyong.
Capadocia and Tan are coming off an impressive season, having clinched victories in two legs of the tour last year—Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Now, they aim to showcase their skills on home soil in the women’s pro division.
“The men’s and women’s teams performed well last year,” said national head coach Bryan Casao. “Marian and Tao Yee reached the finals in two legs for the women’s side, while the men’s team made it as far as the quarterfinals in several tournaments.”
In Singapore, Capadocia and Tan triumphed over Kotomi Ozawa and Beatrice Gumulya in a thrilling Grand Slam final, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5. They followed it up with another stellar performance in Kuala Lumpur, defeating Nagomi Utsumi and Ozawa, 7-5, 6-1.
With a total prize pool of $10,000 per leg, this weekend’s tournament promises to be an exciting showcase of top-tier padel talent. The 2025 APPT features seven tournaments, with the second leg set to take place in Batangas next weekend.
“We’re thrilled to host the APPT event in Manila for the third time,” said APPT president Carlos Carillo, speaking alongside Padel Pilipinas executive director Jackie Gan.
This year, the APPT is introducing a new competition tier—the Challenger Series. These events, organized by local clubs, are officially linked to the APPT and provide rising talents the opportunity to compete at a high level.
So far, over 100 players have signed up for the tour, including 20 members of the Philippine national pool. Among them is team captain LA Canizares, who will be competing alongside Joseph Serra, Gogo Allian, Mac Gulpo, and Johnny Arcilla—who, like Capadocia, transitions between lawn tennis and padel.
The Challenger Series will take place in the coming months, serving as a stepping stone below the Open-level tournament. While offering smaller prize money and APPT ranking points, it maintains the same level of intensity and excitement.
The competition format remains unchanged, featuring Pro and Amateur divisions across Mixed, Female, and Male categories. However, in the Pro division, the top 30 ranked male players and top 20 ranked female players in the APPT rankings are restricted from pairing together, ensuring a more competitive and dynamic field.
