Sofia Araújo has become a well-known figure in the professional padel circuit, but her career path is anything but classic. Before shining on the slopes, Sofia was immersed in the world of tennis. Classified professional from the age of 16, she played in several international tournaments before padel came along to change the situation.

An unexpected discovery

In short interview given to the FIP, Sofi looks back on her journey and tells us with sincerity how padel came into her life. It all started a bit by chance. One day, her uncle, who had returned from Bilbao, offers him to participate in a padel tournament in Portugal. Sofia had never picked up a padel racket, but she gave in to temptation. And for this very first tournament, she formed a rather original duo: she played with... her mother !

She remembers: “I enjoyed it a lot, it was like playing tennis on a padel court.” That day, Sofia discovered a different but equally addictive sport. From then on, padel became more than just a trial run: it was a turning point.

From tennis to padel: not such an easy transition

Even though tennis helped her a lot, Sofia quickly understood that padel required technical skills very particular. The biggest difficulty? The famous glass walls. “At first, I never let the ball pass, as if the wall didn't exist!”, she admits with a laugh. Adapting to rebounds, learning to defend, all that took time.

But one thing is sure, his competitive instinct has never disappeared. After this first discovery in 2016, Sofia quickly developed a taste for competition. That same year, she participated in her first World Cup and in 2017, she already made a few appearances on the World Padel Tour.

Padel, a family affair

Today, padel is an integral part of her life. And not just for her: “We all play as a family, I have a lot of cousins ​​and uncles who play padel.” His brother Pedro Araújo, also a professional, is part of this large tribe of snowshoe enthusiasts.

Sofi speaks with pride of this family dynamic which pushes her to always progress. “I am very happy, because today, padel is my life.”

Benjamin Dupouy

I discovered padel directly during a tournament, and frankly, I didn't really like it at first. But the second time, it was love at first sight, and since then, I haven't missed a single match. I'm even ready to stay up until 3am to watch a final of Premier Padel !

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