By Jean Malanum

TOP PADEL PLAYER. Jessica Agra (right) with Fil-Omani Sarah Al Balushi during the FIP event in Abu Dhabi last year. Agra is No. 1 in the Philippine Padel Association (PPA) women’s pro rankings. (Contributed photo)  

MANILA – Jessica Agra is determined to improve her International Padel Federation (FIP) ranking by joining more tournaments this year.

She is currently at No. 340 in the FIP ranking, which is the world governing body of the sport.

In the Philippine Padel Association (PPA) women’s pro rankings, she is No. 1 with 6960 points.

PPA founder Alenna Dawn Magpantay is second with 5740 points, followed by Christine Patrimonio (3900), Bambi Zoleta (3420), Mayumi Penntoft (2660) and Joanna Tan (2600). Alessa Belbes, Jessica Lucas and Michelle Dickson are tied for eighth place with 2000 points each.

“It’s nice to end the year taking the No. 1 spot since 2024 was the year I shifted my focus to sports again and took padel seriously. The hard work is starting to pay off and I’m proud of my progress in 2024,” said the 32-year-old lawyer in an interview on Thursday.

First on her list is the Melbourne Open, a silver category event in the 2025 Cupra FIP Tour scheduled next week.

Agra is teaming up with Japan national team member Yoshino Kushima, who is No. 301 in the world.

They are ranked No. 8 in the tournament with 23 points (Agra with 10 and Kushima, 13) behind Marcella Koek and Bo Luttikhuis of the Netherlands (682 points), Catherine Rose and Aimee Gibson of Great Britain (359), Maaike Betz and Janine Hemmes of the Netherlands (193), Carla Fernandez Gonzalez and Norea Guerra Santana of Spain (102), Marie-Amelie Dardaine and Camille Sireix of France (101), Victoria Kurz and Denise Hoefer of Germany (92), and Kotomi Ozawa of Japan and Constanza Sampaio Kokorelis of Portugal (44).

Agra, a former top junior tennis player who bagged three ITF doubles titles, was ranked No. 2 in the Asia Pacific Padel Tour (APPT) rankings last May after winning the Phuket Open in Thailand with Indonesian Beatrice Gumulya.

After taking the No. 1 spot in June, she started competing in events sanctioned by FIP, teaming up with Fil-Omani Sarah Al Balushi in Abu Dhabi, Swiss national player Gaelle Rey in Manila and Mexican Elizabeth Hernandez in Dubai. (PNA)