How Aidan’s Padel Journey Started

Aidan’s journey with racket sports began at just six years old, hitting shuttlecocks with a badminton racket in his grandmother’s garden in Malaysia. From there, he explored badminton and tennis before eventually settling into squash, where he excelled – competing internationally and reaching the #1 junior ranking in Malaysia.

Everything changed when padel arrived in Kuala Lumpur, though. With years of experience hitting balls off a wall, the sport felt natural, fast, and instantly addictive. Aidan immersed himself as much as possible –working part-time at a club just to get free court time and to soak up knowledge from the Swedish coach, Simon, who first shaped the local padel scene.

Very quickly, he saw the sport’s business potential in Malaysia too. What began as logo sketches and T-shirt tests evolved into his brand Padelity, the first grassroots Malaysian padel apparel brand. Aidan built it to reflect the energy he saw emerging in KL: community, competitiveness, and a shared excitement for a new sport. Today, Padelity provides padel gear for players across Malaysia, collaborates with local clubs, and supports tournaments across the country.

Alongside building his brand, Aidan has also carved out a competitive path for himself. With the support of Volan Padel (Malaysia) and Vibepadel (UK), he now competes across both countries while juggling university life –eventually climbing to the #1 national ranking in Malaysia. His journey is split across continents, but his passion remains rooted in representing his home country wherever he goes.

Community Origins: Mission & Values

Aidan’s mission is to put Malaysia on the global padel map.

He’s driven by a deep desire to represent his country and show that emerging markets can produce competitive, passionate players with global ambitions. In the early days, the support network was small: family, close friends, a handful of coaches, and members of the KL community who believed in padel before it was widely known.

He shares his journey online to inspire the next generation of Malaysian players, especially those who, like him, grew up without role models or clear pathways in the sport. The opportunity to give back, lead by example, and help others believe in their potential continues to push him forward. Representing Malaysia is meaningful for him, and he hopes others will get to feel that same pride.

Getting Involved

Whether you’re in London, Kuala Lumpur, or anywhere else, he’s always up for chatting about padel, connecting with players, or supporting anyone who wants to get started. 

“Honestly, just shoot me a DM on Instagram. I am chronically addicted to both Padel and my phone, so whether you’re in the UK or KL and want to connect, or have a chat about Padel or Padelity, I’ll definitely respond,” Aidan told us.

If you reach out to him, he already considers you part of the community.

Community Reflections

Aidan’s favourite part of the journey has been watching the Malaysian padel community grow, especially the friendships and bonds formed within the national team. 

“The Malaysian team is such an amazing bunch of humans, I love each and every one of them to bits. I’ve cried with them, laughed with them, fought with them – seeing athletes from different sporting backgrounds come together to improve at this one sport that we love is so fulfilling.”

The biggest challenge for him has been staying as involved as he wants while constantly travelling between the UK and Malaysia for studies and competition.

Asia Pacific Padel Cup Experience

The 2024 Asia Pacific Padel Cup was an unforgettable milestone. Malaysia had placed 4th the previous year in Bali, but hosting the tournament at home brought a new level of responsibility and pride. Now supported by an official Malaysian Padel governing association, the team entered stronger and more prepared than ever.

“We fought hard, learned a lot and came away with a bronze finish, beating India in the 3rd place playoff, whom we had lost to in the same playoff last year. That fixture was one that I’ll remember for a while, as I managed to tear my hamstring while 6-2 2-1 up in the deciding match (it was 2-2 at this point between the countries).” 

“My teammate stepped up immensely and carried the match as I hobbled on, and we closed out the set and the match 6-3. Coincidentally, we had achieved this milestone on Malaysia’s Independence Day.”

It’s a moment Aidan calls “poetic,” and one he’ll remember for the rest of his life.

Looking Ahead

Aidan is heading back to Kuala Lumpur next month (December) for the inaugural Malaysian Padel Closed – the first officially ranked tournament sanctioned by the national association.

With FIP now recognised by the Olympic Committee of Asia, he’s setting his sights on representing Malaysia at the Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games, and future international competitions.

He’s also excited to continue training with his teammates and playing alongside the next generation of KL talent. For Aidan, this is just the beginning of Malaysia’s padel story, and he hopes to play a leading role in shaping it.