The only non-Spanish or Argentinian player on  world top 20 ,  Sofia Araújo  continues to forge her own path. The Lisbon native opened up about a little quirk that says a lot about her character, while also discussing her new challenge alongside Claudia Fernández.

A unique personality in the world's top tier

In a women's circuit largely dominated by  Spanish  and  Argentines ,  Sofia Araújo  is an exception. The Portuguese player is currently the only representative of another country within the  world top 20 , a unique characteristic that further reinforces its exceptional status within the elite.

Nicknamed the  “Lisbon lioness” She embodies a player with a strong temperament, capable of competing with the best thanks to her game  powerful  and committed.

“I always put the tape on backwards, it's part of my personality.”

Invited in a format proposed by Padel Review in collaboration with  Siux Araújo then indulged in a lighter confidence, revealing a habit of hers:

“I must admit that my  grip  It can last a whole month, even though I change it during tournaments. But most importantly, I always put the tape on backwards… it's just my personality, I'm a bit unconventional myself.”

A seemingly insignificant detail, but one that reflects the Lisbon woman's personality quite well: spontaneous, different, and fully embracing her peculiarities, even in the small gestures of everyday life.

A new association to watch closely

From a sporting perspective, the 2026 season marks a turning point for Araújo. They have embarked on a new project with  Claudia Fernández , one of the circuit's greatest hopes.

Supervised by  Gaby Reca This pair has already shown encouraging signs with a  semi-final in Riyadh  and  quarter-final in Gijón Solid results, although some adjustments still need to be made.

Their complementarity is intriguing: the experiment  and  power  d'Araújo on one side, the  creativity  and  freshness  Fernández on the other hand. If a balance is established, this partnership could quickly become a credible threat on the circuit.

Sofia Araújo: “My first tournament was with my mother.”

A potential yet to be exploited

The project is still young, but the foundations are there. Araújo seems to have found a favorable environment to continue progressing, while bringing its unique style to a pair that is still under construction.

Provided they find the right bearings at key moments, this partnership could well  shake up the hierarchy  In the coming months.

Maceo ZERHAT

Maceo Zerhat discovered padel in 2020 in Savigny-sur-Clairis, Burgundy. He contributed to the club's expansion by bringing his energy and curiosity. Padel Magazinehe transmits his Padel"mania" by skillfully bouncing on all the latest news about your favorite sport!

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