From Tennis Courts to a Second Sporting Life in Padel

Bojana Jovanovic’s journey into padel is a story of reinvention, resilience, and belief. Coming from a professional tennis background, Bojana spent more than 15 years competing at a high level and, in 2020, was ranked the second-best senior tennis player in Serbia. Her career, however, came to an unexpected halt due to injury and the disruption of the COVID period.

In 2022, a new chapter began. Just days before moving to the Maldives to work as a tennis coach, Bojana was told she would also be coaching padel. At that point, she hadn’t even heard of the sport. But her first experience playing padel on a court surrounded by palm trees and ocean views — changed everything. Not a bad introduction to the sport.

“It was love at first rally,” she told us. That familiar spark, competitive fire, and excitement returned instantly.

Still, the transition wasn’t easy. Letting go of tennis – a sport that had shaped her entire identity – took some time; two to three years, in fact, to fully accept starting again from zero. At the beginning of 2025, Bojana made the decision to go all in.

Today, she is a professional padel player, the first Serbian woman to compete professionally, currently ranked inside the Top 280 on the FIP world ranking – and she’s more motivated than ever.

Padel didn’t just offer Bojana a new sport. It gave her a second sporting life.

Finding a Voice Through Community and Authenticity

Bojana’s presence on social media began during one of the most difficult periods of her life. After suffering a major tennis injury in early 2022, she started sharing her comeback journey on Instagram: training sessions, behind-the-scenes moments, setbacks, and progress.

Her content was shared by some of the world’s biggest tennis pages, reaching over 40 to 50 million views. In just three months, her community grew from 5,000 to over 60,000 people.

But for Bojana, social media has never been about numbers. It’s more about connection, honesty, and giving back.

Through her transition from tennis to padel – and through her wider life story – she wants to show what it truly means to rise again. To believe in yourself. To create a new beginning when everything seems uncertain.

This philosophy lives at the heart of her ongoing series NoMoreHiding, where she shares the deepest parts of her journey without filters, without pretending, and without fear. Her values of family, love, resilience, authenticity, and support are woven into everything she does.

Her mission is simple, but powerful: to remind people that everything is possible, even when you start from zero, even when it feels too late, and even when the road ahead looks impossible.

Connecting With the Journey

Bojana shares her daily life as a professional padel player across Instagram and TikTok (@jovanovicbojka), offering an honest look at training, routines, nutrition, tournaments, travel, and the realities behind the scenes. She also publishes longer-form content on YouTube, with plans to grow that platform further – diving deeper into mindset, discipline, and life as an athlete.

Beyond the screen, she values real-world connection just as much. She regularly shares the tournaments she’s competing in, padel events and clinics she organizes, interviews she takes part in, and networking events she attends.

For Bojana, this journey isn’t just about sport. It’s about building something real, meaningful, and shared.

The Power of the Padel Community

One of the most surprising and rewarding parts of Bojana’s transition has been the padel community itself.

Coming from tennis – an often solitary, individual sport for some – padel introduced something new: belonging. From day one, she found support from players, coaches, and people who genuinely love the sport. Having a partner on court, sharing wins and losses, traveling together, and discovering new countries has transformed her experience of professional competition.

At the same time, the challenges are real. Closing the chapter on tennis was emotionally difficult. Starting again from zero was daunting. And like many professional padel players today, Bojana faces the realities of constant travel, time away from home, and the financial pressures of a fast-growing but still developing sport.

Despite this, her belief in padel’s future is unwavering, and she’s proud to be building her path within it.

Looking Ahead to 2026

The next chapter is already taking shape.

This year, Bojana plans to spend as much time as possible training in Spain – especially in Madrid – with the clear goal of breaking into the Top 150 on the FIP world ranking. She aims to compete in over 20 international tournaments, gaining consistency, confidence, and experience with every match.

But just as important as results is the process itself. The daily training. The discipline. The small improvements. The joy of building something step by step.

Beyond competition, Bojana is committed to growing her community and becoming more involved in projects that support children and humanitarian causes. Giving back, she strongly believes, will always be part of her journey.