RANKED. Jessica Agra makes a forehand lob during the semifinal round of the mixed Pro category in the Asia Pacific Padel Tour (APPT) Hong Kong Grand Slam at the PADEL+ courts on April 13, 2024. Agra is currently No. 6 in the APPT women's rankings. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – The Philippines' Jessica Agra made it to the Top 10 based on the latest Asia Pacific Padel Tour (APPT) women's rankings.
For reaching the semifinal round in both women's and mixed Pro doubles at the APPT Hong Kong Grand Slam on April 11-14, Agra secured the No. 6 spot with 1380.00 points, behind Spain's Patricia Garcia Calderaro (2600.00) and Maria Mayoral Estrada (2000.00), Portugal's Constanza Kokorelis (1600.00), and Indonesia's Sandy Gumulya and Japan's Chifumi Sato, who both have 1500.00 points.
France's Kim Ven Attar (1260.00) is at No. 7, followed by Japan's Yoshino Kushima and Indonesia's Beatrice Gumulya (1200.00) who are tied for eighth, while Australia's Alexia Dalley and Japan's Rio Yamada, Saki Tsukamoto, Erika Ogawa, and Kae Tokumoto share 10th place with 1000.00 points.
"I am really happy about my ranking right now in the APPT. Although I could have ended up in the Top 3 if we pulled off our semifinals match against the Japanese – Sato and Kushima. We were up 6-4, 6-6 (5-1), two points away from winning the match and playing the finals, but we came up short and lost 6-4, 6-7, 2-6. It was a tough match, but we lost to a strong team. Props to them for fighting for every point. There are no regrets, but it is also good to know that we are that close to playing the finals and attaining a higher ranking," Agra said in an interview on Saturday.
Teaming up with Jessica Lucas, the Filipino pair advanced to the semis after pulling off a 6-2, 6-4 victory over China's Michelle Wu and Zhaiyu Chaiu, who had to win two matches in the qualifying rounds to enter the main draw.
In the mixed Pro category, top seeds Agra and Joseph Serra prevailed over Indonesia's Sandy Gumulya, 6-3 6-4, in the second round before losing their semifinal match to Spain's Mayoral and Sergio Esteban Barroso, 4-6, 2-6.
Mayoral and Barroso eventually claimed the title after beating French Kim Ven Attar and Filipino Derrick Santos, 6-3, 6-4, in the final.
Agra is a former top junior tennis player. She has three ITF junior doubles titles.
"I first tried padel in 2022 when I saw some of the tennis players I knew playing through Instagram. I was curious because I noticed that padel only involved playing doubles and required volleying. I played for a few weeks in 2022 and started to play more consistently at the beginning of 2023 (at least once a week). This year, I am taking the sport more seriously and I have been playing at least four times a week. I am currently training in Manila Padel Club and being coached by their international padel coaches," shared the 32-year-old Agra, whose title victories include the APPT Vietnam Open (mixed Pro), MartinX Academy's Tournament Open, 4th Philippine National Padel (Mixed Open), 2nd Philippine National Padel (Women's Open), and 1st Play Padel Open (Women's Open).
"Right now, the plan is to join all the APPT tournaments scheduled for the year. I think there are at least five more before the year ends. I will probably also join one more FIP tournament this year," she said.
The FIP (Federación Internacional de Pádel) is the world governing body of the sport of padel, whose goal is to promote all forms of padel worldwide.
Agra received a tennis scholarship from Santa Clara University in California where she graduated with a political science degree in 2013. She studied law in Ateneo, passed the bar in 2019 and received a Graduate certificate in Entertainment Law and Technology, and Entrepreneurship Law, along with her Master of Laws degree from the University of Southern California in 2020.
Meanwhile, the other Filipinos in the women's Top 50 are Lucas (No. 17), Alenna Dawn Magpantay (No. 18), Joanna Tao Yee Tan (No. 20), Noelle Nikki Camille Zoleta (No. 23), Rovy Conle Castillo (No. 29), Maia Balce (No. 32), Czarina Mae Arevalo (No. 32), Bebs Abrillo (No. 39), Marian Capadocia (No. 42), and Mayumi Jane Toribio (No. 45).
Serra is at No. 10 with 1100.00 points in the men's division, behind Spain's Dani Bressel and Miguel Briega who share the No.1 spot with identical 3200.00 points, followed by Japan's Shungo Kusakabe (2080.00), Spain's Pol Asina and David Quiros Peiro (2000.00), Australia's Tim Brown (1810.00), Argentina's Martin Noschese (1800.00), Spain's Jose Soto (1350.00), and Japan's Kazuki Tomita (1140.00).
Also in the Top 50 are Filipinos Derrick Santos (No. 17), Jason Tamayo Lapidus (No. 23), Duane Santos (No. 33), Lazaro Cornaglia (No. 39), and Argil Lance Canizares and Mac Gulfo (No. 50). (PNA)
