25 Sept 2026
Episode 22: Padel Is Exploding in Asia - Here’s What They’re Getting Right
Engineering Padel Ecosystems, Delivering 70+ International Events, and Building Player Pathways Across 12 Asian Cities
In this episode, Bryant sits down with Alenna Dawn, Founder and CEO of Asia Padel Events, Founder and Chairwoman of the Philippine Padel Association, and Founder of the Women’s Padel Association. Coming from an engineering background without a traditional racquet-sports background, Alenna has helped build a regional padel ecosystem that has delivered more than 70 events across 12 Asian cities.
They dive into why Asia is not a single padel market, comparing the growth of the sport across Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, and Japan; the lessons learned from building in different climates and cultures; how Alenna’s engineering mindset shapes the systems behind tournaments and player development; the journey of one of Asia’s top female players turning professional; and the vision behind APExCup in Niseko, Japan, bringing together padel, music, and nature.
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Main Topics Covered
Going from engineering and no racquet-sports background to building padel across Asia
Why Asia isn’t one padel market: Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Japan
Building player pathways for juniors, amateurs, and aspiring professionals
How an engineering mindset shapes tournament systems and infrastructure
The story of Kotomi, Japan’s No. 1 female player
APExCup in Niseko, Japan: Bringing together padel, music, and nature
The five-year vision: Building an Asian calendar where players don’t have to leave for Europe to pursue professional padel
Key Takeaways
Every Asian market is developing differently, from Singapore’s corporate environment to Thailand’s destination-driven model
Sustainable growth requires more than courts and tournaments; players need clear pathways to develop and compete
Systems thinking can turn individual events into repeatable infrastructure for the sport
The challenge is growing padel without losing the community and culture that made people fall in love with it
Connect with Alenna Dawn
Instagram: @alennadawn (https://www.instagram.com/alennadawn/)
Facebook: Alenna Dawn (https://www.facebook.com/alennadawn/)
LinkedIn: Alenna Dawn (https://ph.linkedin.com/in/alennadawn)
Asia Padel Events: https://asiapadelevents.com/ (https://asiapadelevents.com/)
Padel Philippines: https://padel.ph/ (https://padel.ph/)
Connect with the Host
Bryant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/padelbryant/ (https://www.instagram.com/padelbryant/)
Bryant YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SalcedoBryant (https://www.youtube.com/@SalcedoBryant)
Bryant Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033r50PpI0j57hS1uuB93P (https://open.spotify.com/show/033r50PpI0j57hS1uuB93P)
Call to Action
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And until next time, protect your inner peace like your life depends on it, because it does.
