Community Spotlight:
Marco Duarte
- 24th April, 2026
- Singapore
- Community
- 4-min read
From Open Play to Platform Builder
Marco’s padel story started the way so many do – through a friend. Around four years ago, while visiting home in South Africa, a friend introduced him to the sport. When he returned to Singapore, he and his wife found an open play session at a new club, went along to try it, and became hooked. The two have been regular padel partners ever since.
What began as a casual hobby quickly became something more. Between sessions on court, Marco was watching videos, researching clubs around the world, and thinking about what the sport was missing in his part of the world. That curiosity led him to build playpadelsg.com – a platform designed to increase awareness and accessibility for players across Singapore and the wider Asian market. He has since qualified as an instructor and club director through Padelmba, and has run paid coaching sessions of his own.
Growing and Uniting the Community
The mission behind Play Padel SG is to grow and unite the padel community by providing a central, comprehensive resource for players of all levels. Marco wanted the platform to do more than list courts – he wanted it to contribute to padel’s journey toward Olympic recognition, with a particular ambition to see Singapore represented when that day comes.
Beyond the website, Marco documents his padel travels across Asia on Instagram (@play.more.padel) and YouTube (PlayMorePadel), where he shares free club walkthroughs – from Vietpadel in Vietnam to venues across the region – alongside blog posts about his experiences. It is content built for the community, by someone genuinely embedded in it.
I feel really fortunate to have played padel in South Africa, Australia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and Portugal.
Courts, Countries and Connection
Ask Marco what stands out most from his journey and the answer comes back to people. “Nothing beats the social aspect of the sport,” he says, “and being able to meet new people – all of which are so nice, regardless of their playing level.” The fitness, the competition, the challenge of learning a new game – all of it matters. But the community is what keeps him coming back.
His padel footprint already spans nine countries: South Africa, Australia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and Portugal. Along the way, he has also picked up skills off the court – building a website from scratch, creating content, and learning what it takes to turn a passion project into something with real reach.
As Marco puts it, the biggest challenge is “finding time for all the padel-related things I want to achieve” alongside a full-time job.
What’s Next
Play Padel SG has built enough traction that Marco is now looking to monetise the platform. He is also stepping into 2026 as an ambassador for No Strings Padel, Weebora and Padelmba SEA, with plans to collaborate with more brands looking to enter the Singapore and Asian markets.
On the competitive side, he is excited to see FIP events reach Asia and would love to see a Premier Padel event hosted in Singapore one day. And the long-term dream remains firmly in place – to one day open his own padel club, incorporating the best of everything he has seen on his travels into a venue he can call his own. We wish Marco all the best, and also thank him for all his support with World Padel Network.
Written by Jamie Rowe
World Padel Network
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