“With hard work & passion you can achieve anything” – Aimee Gibson on becoming the first British padel player to reach the top 100

We caught up with Gibson just days after her latest triumph in Melbourne to get her feelings on what it means to become the first Brit to achieve this feat, the differences she’s noticed in her game over the last 12 months, and the impact that having more Brits approaching the top 100 can have on growing the sport in Great Britain. 

“It feels amazing to break into the top 100,” Gibson said, speaking of her latest career milestone.  “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 Gibson may be the first British player to make her mark there, she certainly won’t be the last woman to do so. Rose – who partnered Gibson during her trip down under – has gradually worked her way up the rankings to sit at a new high of No.119, while Tia Norton trails just behind at world No.122.  

Gibson is hopeful that her recent successes will help spur on not only her cohort of fellow professionals, but the next generation of players who are just 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. 

“Seeing that I’ve been able to achieve this within three years boosts the other players too. Catherine (Rose) and Tia (Norton) are both in the top 120 so we’re going to have a few more players in the top 100 really soon. 

“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.” 

Gibson is supported by the LTA’s Padel Performance Pathway, which provides funding and support for players to compete on the tours at events such as the FIP Silver’s in Australia, as well as helping to develop players to become the best they can be. 

Players are also further supported through their sponsors, venues and coaches working with the behind-the-scenes and Gibson attributes her rapid development over the last year to all of these factors in combination. 

“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 and now the fact I’m 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 reflected. “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 the FIP Tours and beyond. The next step for Gibson will be gradually integrating tournaments on the Premier Padel Tour, the global tour which features the world’s best players, into her schedule. 

Having already achieved one of her career goals so early on in the year, the future is looking bright for Gibson, but what goals is she setting her sights on throughout the rest of the season? 

“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, Court Sport, 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.” 

Speaking of Gibson's achievement, 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!"