Melbourne win propels Gibson into world top 100
British padel player in world top 100
GB No 1 women’s padel player Aimee Gibson has made history by becoming the first female British padel player to break into the world rankings top 100.
The milestone came off the back of her stellar run in Australia which saw Aimee haul back-to-back FIP Silver titles in Sydney and Melbourne alongside fellow Brit Catherine Rose.
The pair’s run to a third title together at the FIP Silver Melbourne Padel Open last week sealed the deal for Gibson, who has now risen to a career-high of world No 98 in the FIP rankings. In achieving this the 33-year-old has etched her name in the history books by becoming the first British woman to crack into the top 100.
“It feels amazing to break into the top 100,” said Aimee. “When I first started padel I set a goal to be top 100 in three years. I’ve only been playing for two years and I’ve already achieved it which is crazy.
“Obviously I finished 2024 in a good position. Heading into Australia and playing these two tournaments, I didn’t think I’d be able to go back-to-back with these titles.
“Having the help of the new points system with a higher-level tournament is crazy to do that in two weeks I gathered 125 points, I think it was such a good option for me to go to Australia and I’m so glad I took the opportunity and played it with Catherine.”
Reaching the top 100 in the FIP rankings is a goal every padel player sets out to achieve and while Aimee may be the first British player to make her mark there she certainly won’t be the last. Catherine – who partnered Aimee during her trip down under – has gradually worked her way up the rankings to sit at a new high of No 116, while Tia Norton is just behind at world No 122.
Aimee is hopeful that her recent successes will help spur on not only her cohort of fellow professionals, but the next generation of players setting sail on their padel journey: “Being the first British player to enter the top 100 is crazy and I think it looks amazing for British padel. To see your name on those rankings amongst the Spanish, Argentines and French players – I feel super proud of myself.
“I think me reaching the top 100 mark is going to spur a lot of players on as well as the younger generation. We have some juniors in Britain and I think it’ll give them some belief that they can achieve these heights too.”
Aimee is supported by the LTA’s Padel Performance Pathway, which provides funding and support for players to compete at events such as the FIP Silvers in Australia, as well as helping to develop them. Players are also supported by sponsors, venues and coaches; Aimee attributes her development over the last year to all of these factors combined: “The journey to this point has been really fun. When I first started padel my goal was to win LTA Grade 1 events and to compete in Europe…competing worldwide with girls in the top 100 was not in my expectations.
“The main difference over the last 12 months is just my experience in playing matches,” she added. “I’ve been out to Spain and trained hard in England but the most important thing is I’ve played a lot of tournaments each week and after every single match I’m learning from my mistakes and improving.”
In reaching the top flight of the FIP rankings, the British No 1 has now opened the door to more opportunities on FIP Tours and beyond; her next step will be integrating Premier Padel, the global tour which features the world’s best players, into her schedule.
Having already achieved one of her career goals so early in the year, the future is looking bright for Aimee, but what is she setting her sights on now?
“My next goal is to reach the top 75 in the world. Now I’ve entered the top 100 it really gives me a chance to play in the Premier tournaments because with my points I’ll be able to get into the qualifying of P1 and P2s so I think this year will be about still gaining the experience of playing the FIPs and having the opportunity to play in Premier and Major tournaments.
“I’d like to enter a Premier event and win a couple of rounds in qualifying of a P1 or P2 – that’s one of my main goals this year. I’m still new to the sport so I don’t want to rush playing Premiers and I want to make sure I’m still getting good results on the FIP Tour.
“I’d like to thank my sponsors for their support so far. Padel Shack, CorteSport, Aspire Rock and the LTA – they’ve been a massive help for me since the end of last year. They’ve been able to help fund me travel to some of these countries to play the tournaments and that was so helpful towards my ranking.”
Tom Murray, LTA Head of Padel, said: “It’s great to see Aimee break into the top 100 after a brilliant 2024 and an inspiring two weeks in Melbourne. Having players at the highest level of the game is a crucial way of helping to grow the sport and inspire a new generation of players. This milestone is testament to her dedication and effort in the sport, starting at a domestic LTA Grade 1 tournament to now winning international titles. Congrats Aimee!” 🎾
