Francisco Navarro, better known as  Paquito , picked up his first padel racket at the age of 5. His talent quickly exploded. In junior, he put in a string of performances with astonishing precocity. At only 10 years old, he was already participating in  Junior World Championships He lost in the final - a situation that would, unfortunately for him, become a habit in his younger years. Repeat at 14, then at 16: three lost world finals that would forge his competitive mentality.

But Paquito wasn't one to give up. Through extensive training with the experienced Adrián Allemandi, he finally broke the curse. At 20, he finally won the junior world championship title. A seminal victory.

 Anecdotes:  On Instagram, Paquito humorously posted about his youthful sins:

  •  The delay  : Paquito admits that when he was young, he would arrive running so as not to miss the start of the matches.
  •  Test the track  : In his youth, Navarro did not test the field or the balls, something he now finds inconceivable before playing in a tournament.
  •  Hamburgers  : when he was younger, he could easily eat a hamburger just before playing a match.

The start in the big league

In 2009, following this victory, he decided to turn professional, then under the circuit of  Padel Per tour The beginnings were intense, and it took him six long years, with different partners, before lifting his first major trophy:  the Master Final 2015 , won alongside  Maxi Gabriel , after beating the legendary pair Belasteguín/Díaz in the final.

Francisco Navarro becomes “Paquito”

In 2019, he finally reached his peak. By partnering with  Juan Lebrón , he became world number 1, the first ever Spaniard to hold this position. Despite this consecration, Paquito continued to explore new partnerships with different players on the tour. His duo with Martín Di Nenno did not take off. He then attempted a more radical change:  switch to the right of the field , an unusual role, to play with Miguel Yanguas and then Juan Tello. It was in these years that the nickname  “El Huracan del Barrio de los Remedios”  is given to him. “Barrio de los Remedios” is a neighborhood in Seville, his hometown. This neighborhood also has a completely different meaning: it is a chic neighborhood in Seville. As for him, Paquito is one of the most charismatic players on the circuit. For  “el huracan” , Navarro is a player with a great temperament who can bring a hurricane to the track at any time.

It is subsequently, with  Federico Chingotto , that he rediscovers the adrenaline of victory in 2023, by winning another Master Final. This time, he returns to his favorite position, the left side. Subsequently, Paquito has his first blank season since 2013. In 2024, Paquito experiences a season marked by instability. Between Sanyo Gutiérrez, Juan Lebrón and the young Pablo Cardona, he changes partners without managing to find the right alchemy. Despite several semi-finals, no final rewards his efforts.

Paquito with Chingotto, with Di Nenno and Juan Lebrón

Beyond his athletic achievements, Francisco Navarro is renowned for his personality. "Cool," kind, and approachable, he is one of the most popular players on the circuit. This status, coupled with his track record, logically places him among the greatest names in the history of padel.

Paquito's thirst for victory

Now 36, he continues to aim for the top. Alongside Brazilian Lucas Bergamini, he seeks to return to winning ways. As promised, so kept.  532 days after his last final , Paquito returns to the final of the P1 in Buenos Aires with his Brazilian teammate. They had benefited from the withdrawal of Galán/Chingotto to reach the final match, before losing clearly 6/2 6/2 against Coello and Tapia.

Paquito has repeatedly stated in 2025 that he is ready to re-enter "fight for titles" against the best players in the world. He also stated, in an interview with  PadelReview , that Bergamini brought him calm and serenity in a match:  “He always guarantees you 7 or 8 points per game, no matter the conditions.” 

The story of his famous guitar

It is difficult to talk about Paquito Navarro without mentioning his  legendary guitar celebration , arguably the most iconic in padel. It comes at decisive moments, when Paquito scores a brilliant shot and the stands erupt in excitement. By miming an imaginary guitar, he doesn't just celebrate a point: he electrifies the crowd and leaves his mark on the match.

Paquito
Credit Instagram account Paquito Navarro

He said at the microphone of  "PadelReview"  that if his guitar died, then we would have to worry about him, because the end of his career could be approaching. Don't panic, Paquito is not ready to stop. In an interview with  “El4Set” , he admitted that he still enjoys playing competitive padel and that he has no plans to hang up his boots. He explains that as long as the desire is there, he will do everything he can to continue at the highest level.

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