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Carmen Goenaga, 20, born in Salamanca, has established herself as one of the most promising players on the Premier Padel circuit. Currently ranked 17th in the world, this Spanish left-side player has put together a string of remarkable performances alongside her partner Beatriz Caldera. Her precocious rise, talent, and determination make her a rising star in international women's padel.
A natural introduction to padel
Carmen started playing padel thanks to her parents, who already played the sport. Her brother Enrique also took it up, and the young girl spent her time at the club hitting against the wall on empty courts. This total immersion in the world of padel from an early age allowed her to quickly develop natural instincts and an intuitive understanding of the game.
The breakthrough of the first title
Her first junior Spanish Championship in 2014 remains a memorable milestone for her: "I entered my first Spanish Championship and won it. I was thrilled, and it's the tournament I remember most vividly." That early victory revealed her potential and spurred her to train more intensively over the years.
After competing in regional tournaments across Castilla y León and other events in Spain, Carmen decided to turn professional. Her clear talent could not remain confined to the regional scene. She surrounded herself with professional coaches and began climbing the ranks of national, then international padel.
A family of champions
In the Goenaga household, padel runs in the blood. Enrique is making his mark on the men's circuit, while Carmen has established herself as one of the most promising players in the women's game. This family dynamic sparks unique motivation, with each pushing the other to transcend their limits. The brother and sister regularly share their experiences, training sessions, and goals, creating a positive cycle of progression.
Rising through the professional ranks
The early years on the tour
Right from her early days on the professional circuit, Carmen Goenaga displayed exceptional natural ability. Her capacity to quickly adapt to different partners and styles of play enabled her to climb steadily in the world rankings. Her attacking game, movement speed, and tactical intelligence quickly caught the eye of women's padel observers.
In 2023, she caught the eye with consistent performances on the tour, ending the year in the world's top 30. This first taste of the elite level allowed her to test herself against the world's best players and pinpoint the areas for improvement needed to reach the next tier.
The partnership with Aranzazu Osoro
In 2024, Aranzazu Osoro and Carmen Goenaga formed a promising pair after Osoro parted ways with Veronica Virseda. Both players enthusiastically announced their partnership on social media: "JOINING FORCES Very excited about this project and looking forward to competing together".
Carmen looks back fondly on this partnership: "When I played with Aranza Osoro, she'd make comments that made me laugh a lot, and I had a great time playing with her". This experienced partner taught her how to handle the pressure of big tournaments and stay positive even in tough moments.
The pair achieved several strong results, including Premier Padel P2 semi-finals, before parting ways to pursue new partnerships.
The experience with Virginia Riera
In early 2024, Virginia Riera found herself without a partner and contacted Carmen: "Virginia was available and gave me a call". The partnership proved particularly successful, yielding quick adaptation and immediate results.
At the Genova P2 in July 2024, Goenaga and Riera caused a sensation by knocking out world number 2s Delfi Brea and Bea González in the quarter-finals (7/5 6/2). Both players converted 100% of their break point opportunities (4/4), showing remarkable composure in the decisive moments.
"I'm amazed at how well we get along. We only had a few training sessions the week before Genoa, and I was already really happy because I could see we understood each other so well. I feel great playing with her because she's very calm on the court, helps me a lot, and her style suits me perfectly to play freely and bring out my best padel", Carmen explained at the time.
This partner brought her the serenity needed to fully express her attacking talent. However, after a few months, Carmen decided to switch strategy to aim even higher.
Reuniting with Beatriz Caldera
For the 2025 season, Goenaga decided to team up with Bea Caldera, a player with whom she had already shared tournaments in 2022. This partnership marked the return of a duo that had shown great potential during their first run together.
This time, with more maturity and experience on both sides, the partnership took on a whole new dimension. The two Spaniards complement each other perfectly: Caldera provides solid defence and great intensity, while Goenaga shines with her aggression and attacking prowess.
Standout performances in 2025
The Bordeaux P2: a historic turning point
The Bordeaux Premier Padel P2 in July 2025 will remain etched in Carmen Goenaga's memory as the tournament of her ultimate breakthrough. Partnered with Beatriz Caldera, she produced an outstanding run that took them all the way to the final.
From the opening round, they defeated French player Léa Godallier and Spain's Laura Luján Rodríguez, despite the pair receiving a wildcard. Goenaga, looking sharp on her feet, hit an array of "rulos" (topspin shots) and winning smashs, setting the tone for the rest of the tournament.
In the quarter-finals, they caused an upset by sweeping aside the Osoro / Calvo pair with a commanding 6/0 6/4 scoreline, marking their best-ever career result at the time by reaching the semi-finals of a P2.
In the semi-finals, Caldera and Goenaga pulled off an upset by beating third seeds and heavy favourites Claudia Fernández and Bea González (6/3 6/2). Beatriz Caldera chased down every ball with intensity and proved highly aggressive on her smashes. This victory flipped the momentum between the two pairs, after four straight wins for Fernández/González that season.
In the short history of the Premier Padel circuit, no pair outside the top 10 had ever reached a final. Goenaga and Caldera set that historic record.
In the final, they faced Andrea Ustero and Sofia Araújo. Despite putting up an honourable fight with a close first set lost 7-5, they were defeated, but their run will remain one of the finest surprises of the season.
The Gijón P2: confirming her potential
At the Gijón Premier Padel P2 tournament in February 2025, Bea Caldera and Carmen Goenaga defeated established figures Marta Marrero and Virginia Riera in straight sets (6-3, 6-2), signalling a potential changing of the guard in women's padel. This victory over experienced players proved that their run in Bordeaux was no fluke.
The Mexico Major: the ultimate challenge
At the 2025 Mexico Major, Caldera and Goenaga reached the semi-finals, an already historic achievement. They faced world number 1s Gemma Triay and Delfina Brea. A victory would have taken the pair into the world top 16 and earned them qualification for the Finals.
Despite the defeat against the world champions, this run confirmed Carmen Goenaga's steady progress and her ability to compete with the absolute elite of women's padel.
An attacking and spectacular style of play
Technical strengths
Carmen Goenaga stands out with a distinctly aggressive style of play. A left-side player standing at 1.67 m, she makes up for her modest height with flawless technique and exceptional court vision.
Her smash is her main weapon. Powerful and accurate, it allows her to finish off numerous points and put intense pressure on her opponents. "Several times when hitting a smash, I've caught it with the handle and sent the racket flying right off the court, but I keep smashing until it comes off", she shares with a laugh, highlighting her determination.
Her exceptional touch on the ball is also one of her greatest assets. Able to vary trajectories, spin, and power, she constantly keeps her opponents off balance.
Tactical intelligence
Beyond pure technique, Carmen possesses remarkable tactical intelligence. Playing on the left side, she has developed distinct creativity, taking calculated risks to dictate play and open up opportunities for her partner. Her ability to read opponents and anticipate shot trajectories allows her to intercept countless balls and launch lethal counter-attacks.
Areas for improvement
Like any developing young player, Carmen is refining several areas of her game. Her defence, while solid, still needs refinement to consistently match the circuit's top defensive players over time. Physical endurance across long matches and multi-day tournaments is another key focus, especially in extreme weather conditions.
Mental challenges and professional support
A demanding 2024 season
Carmen acknowledged that the 2024 season was particularly testing mentally. Despite strong results, she went through periods of self-doubt, largely brought on by non-stop travel and being away from her family: "Last season was the toughest mentally. Being away from my family and constantly on the road was sometimes hard to handle".
The Premier Padel circuit requires players to travel across five continents, competing in tournaments week after week. For a 20-year-old far from her native Salamanca and her loved ones, this nomadic lifestyle can take a heavy psychological toll.
The importance of psychological support
To better handle these demands, Carmen surrounded herself with professionals, working alongside psychologists to improve her mental approach to competition. This proactive step reflects her maturity and determination to give herself every chance to succeed at the highest level.
Mental conditioning covers stress management, match preparation, bouncing back after losses, and sustaining motivation across a long, demanding season. These psychological skills are now recognised as just as vital as technical ability in top-level sport.
A new balance in 2025
With rigorous preparation and a new sporting project alongside Beatriz Caldera that seems to suit her well, Carmen Goenaga started 2025 with high ambitions. If she manages to master both the mental and physical demands of competition, she could well establish herself as one of the players to watch this season.
Partnerships and sponsors
Professional equipment
Carmen Goenaga is an ambassador for Head Padel, one of the major equipment manufacturers in world padel. She uses Head padel rackets specifically tailored to her attacking style and her position as a left-side player. Choosing an appropriate racket remains crucial to maximising her performance and protecting her body.
Her padel shoes are also chosen with great care, as rapid lateral movements and sharp changes of direction require footwear that delivers excellent grip, support, and cushioning.
Other partnerships
On her Instagram account followed by 150,000 fans, Carmen showcases her partnerships with Head Padel, Oysho, Padel Pro Shop, Kia Renting, and Max Colchon. These collaborations highlight her status as a rising star and her commercial appeal, vital for supporting a demanding professional career.
The Hexagon Cup and new formats
In 2025, Carmen took part in the Hexagon Cup representing 10 Pádel, driver Pierre Gasly's team. In the Next Gen category, she was teamed up with Lucía Peralta. "I wanted to play in this tournament last year; it's an original competition that breaks away from the usual format and is played as a team", she explained, welcoming the variety of competitive formats.
Future prospects
Short-term goals
Currently world number 17 with 3,715 points, Carmen Goenaga is targeting a solid place in the top 15 and then the top 10 in the coming months. Alongside Beatriz Caldera, she now has a stable partner with whom she can build for the long term and develop even sharper on-court chemistry.
Qualifying for the Premier Padel Finals is a major goal. This end-of-season tournament brings together the world's top pairs and represents the pinnacle of professional padel.
Chasing major titles
After reaching her first P2 final in Bordeaux, Carmen now knows she can compete with the very best. Her next logical target is clinching her first Premier Padel title, whether at P2 level or, why not, in an even higher category.
Major tournaments represent the Holy Grail of modern padel. Delivering an exceptional performance there would definitively establish Carmen as an undisputed global star in women's padel.
Inspiring young players
At just 20 years old, Carmen Goenaga is already an inspiration for young Spanish and international players. Her journey proves that with talent, hard work, and the right guidance, it is possible to take on the world's best before even turning 21.
Her active social media presence, proximity to fans, and professional attitude both on and off the court make her an ideal ambassador for the development of women's padel.
Key takeaways
Carmen Goenaga represents the future of Spanish and global women's padel. At 20 years old and ranked 17th in the world, she has already shown she can cause upsets against the planet's top players. Her final at the July 2025 Bordeaux P2 alongside Beatriz Caldera will stand as a historic milestone: the first time a pair outside the top 10 reached that stage in a Premier Padel tournament.
Her spectacular playing style—built on aggression, powerful smashes, and an exceptional touch on the ball—delights padel fans around the world. As a creative and fearless left-side player, she never hesitates to take risks to dictate play and dominate her opponents.
The 2024 season taught her the importance of mental preparation. By working with psychologists and surrounding herself with skilled professionals, she gave herself the tools to handle the pressure and demands of the international circuit. This early maturity bodes well for a long and highly successful career.
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