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Carmen Goenaga, a 20-year-old from Salamanca, has established herself as one of the most promising players on the Premier Padel circuit. Currently ranked 17th in the world, the Spanish left-side player has delivered a string of impressive performances alongside her partner Beatriz Caldera. Her early success, talent and determination make her a rising star of 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 took it up too, and as a young girl she spent her time at the club, hitting against the wall on empty courts. Being immersed in padel from such an early age helped her quickly develop instinctive responses and an intuitive understanding of the game.
The breakthrough of a first title
Her first junior Spanish championship in 2014 remains a memorable experience for her: "I entered my first Spanish championship and won it. I was absolutely delighted, and it’s the tournament I remember most." That early victory revealed her potential and spurred her to train more intensively over the years.
After playing a few regional tournaments in Castile and León and other competitions across Spain, Carmen decided to turn professional. Her obvious talent could not remain confined to the regional level. She surrounded herself with professional coaches and began climbing the ranks of padel, first nationally and then internationally.
A family of champions
In the Goenaga family, padel runs in their veins. Enrique is making his way through the men’s draw, while Carmen has already established herself as one of the most promising players on the women’s circuit. This family dynamic creates a unique spirit of friendly competition, with each motivating the other to push their limits. The brother and sister regularly share their experiences, training sessions and goals, creating a virtuous cycle of progress.
The rise through the professional ranks
The early years on the circuit
From the start of her time on the professional circuit, Carmen Goenaga showed exceptional promise. Her ability to adapt quickly to different partners and playing styles has enabled her to climb steadily up the world rankings. Her attacking game, speed around the court and tactical intelligence soon caught the attention of observers of women’s padel.
In 2023, she drew attention with her consistent performances on the circuit, finishing the year in the world’s top 30. This first taste of the elite gave her the chance to face the world’s best players and identify the areas where she needed to improve to reach the next level.
The partnership with Aranzazu Osoro
In 2024, Aranzazu Osoro and Carmen Goenaga formed a promising pair after Veronica Virseda parted ways with Osoro. The two players enthusiastically announced their partnership on social media: "LET’S JOIN FORCES We’re really excited about this project and can’t wait to start competing together".
Carmen has fond memories of their partnership: "When I played with Aranza Osoro, she would make comments that really made me laugh, and I had a great time with her". This experienced partner taught her to handle the pressure of major tournaments and maintain a positive atmosphere even in difficult moments.
The duo recorded several good results, including semi-finals at Premier Padel P2 events, before parting ways to explore new partnerships.
Playing with Virginia Riera
At the start of 2024, Virginia Riera found herself without a partner and contacted Carmen: "Virginia became available and called me". The partnership proved particularly fruitful, with a quick adjustment and immediate results.
At the Genova P2 in July 2024, Goenaga and Riera caused a sensation by defeating world number twos Delfi Brea and Bea González in the quarter-finals (7/5 6/2). The two players converted 100% of their break-point chances (4/4), showing remarkable composure in the decisive moments.
"I’m surprised by how well we get along. We’d only had a few training sessions the week before Genoa, and I was already really happy because I could see we understood each other very well. I feel very comfortable with her because she’s so calm on court, she helps me a lot, and her game suits me perfectly: I can play freely and bring out the best in my game", Carmen explained at the time.
This partner gave her the peace of mind she needed to express her attacking talent fully. After a few months, however, Carmen decided to change strategy and 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 played tournaments in 2022. This partnership reunited a duo that had shown promise the first time they played together.
This time, with greater maturity and experience on both sides, their partnership has taken on a whole new dimension. The two Spanish players complement each other perfectly: Caldera brings solid defence and great intensity, while Goenaga shines through her aggression and attacking ability.
Standout performances in 2025
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 where she truly broke through. Partnering Beatriz Caldera, she enjoyed an exceptional run that took them all the way to the final.
In the first tour, they beat French player Léa Godallier and Spain’s Laura Luján Rodríguez, who had received wildcards. Goenaga, moving particularly well, hit a series of "rulos" (topspin shots) and winning smashes, setting the tone for the rest of the tournament.
In the quarter-finals, they caused a sensation by sweeping aside the Osoro / Calvo pair with an emphatic 6/0 6/4 win. By reaching the semi-finals of a P2, they had already achieved the best result of their careers.
In the semi-final, Caldera and Goenaga pulled off an upset by beating third seeds and ultra favourites Claudia Fernández and Bea González (6/3 6/2). Beatriz Caldera defended every ball with intensity and was highly aggressive on the smashes. This victory reversed the trend between the two pairs: Fernández/González had won their previous four meetings this season.
In the short history of the Premier Padel circuit, no pair outside the top 10 had ever reached a final. Goenaga and Caldera were the first to achieve this historic feat.
In the final, they faced Andrea Ustero and Sofia Araújo. Despite putting up a good fight and losing the first set 7-5, they were beaten, but their run will be remembered as one of the biggest surprises of the season.
Gijón P2: confirming her potential
At the Gijón Premier Padel P2 tournament in February 2025, Bea Caldera and Carmen Goenaga beat established names Marta Marrero and Virginia Riera in straight sets (6-3, 6-2), hinting at a possible changing of the guard in women’s padel. This victory over experienced players confirmed that their success in Bordeaux was no fluke.
The Mexico Major: the ultimate challenge
At the Mexico Major 2025, Caldera and Goenaga reached the semi-finals, already a historic result. They faced world number ones Gemma Triay and Delfina Brea. A win would have put the pair in the world’s top 16 and qualified them for the Finals.
Despite losing to the world champions, this run confirmed Carmen Goenaga’s steady progress and her ability to compete with the very best in women’s padel.
An attacking, spectacular style of play
Technical strengths
Carmen Goenaga stands out for her decidedly attacking style of play. A left-side player standing 1.67m tall, she makes up for her modest height with flawless technique and exceptional vision on court.
Her smash is her main weapon. Powerful and precise, it helps her finish many points and put pressure on her opponents. "Several times, when hitting a smash, I’ve caught it with the handle and sent the racket flying well beyond the court, but I keep hitting until it goes out", she admits with a laugh, illustrating her determination.
Her exceptional touch on the ball is another of her greatest strengths. Able to vary her shot trajectories, spin and power, she constantly unsettles her opponents.
Tactical intelligence
Beyond pure technique, Carmen has remarkable tactical intelligence. As a left-side player, she has developed a particularly creative game, taking calculated risks to create openings for her partner. Her ability to read her opponents’ game and anticipate shot trajectories allows her to intercept numerous balls and launch lightning-fast counter-attacks.
Areas for improvement
Like any young player still developing, Carmen is working on several aspects of her game. Her defence, while sound, still needs improvement if she is to compete consistently with the best defensive players on the circuit. Managing the physical demands of long matches and multi-day tournaments is another area to work on, particularly in extreme weather conditions.
Mental challenges and professional support
A demanding 2024 season
Carmen acknowledged that the 2024 season had been particularly demanding mentally. Despite good results, she went through periods of doubt, particularly because of constant travel and being away from her loved ones: "Last season was the hardest mentally. Being away from my family and travelling all the time was sometimes difficult to deal with".
The Premier Padel circuit requires players to travel across five continents, playing tournaments week after week. For a 20-year-old far from her native Salamanca and her loved ones, this nomadic life can take a heavy psychological toll.
The importance of psychological support
To cope better with these demands, Carmen has surrounded herself with professionals, working with psychologists to improve how she handles the mental side of competition. This proactive approach shows her maturity and determination to give herself every chance of succeeding at the highest level.
Mental training covers managing stress, preparing for big matches, recovering from defeats and staying motivated throughout a long, demanding season. These psychological skills are now recognised as being just as important as technical ability in elite sport.
A new balance in 2025
With rigorous preparation and a new sporting project alongside Beatriz Caldera that seems to suit her, Carmen Goenaga began 2025 with ambitious goals. If she can manage 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 leading equipment brands in padel worldwide. She uses Head padel rackets specially suited to her attacking game and her position as a left-side player. Choosing the right racket remains crucial to optimising her performance and protecting her body.
Her padel shoes also deserve careful consideration: quick lateral movements and constant changes of direction call for shoes that provide grip, support and cushioning.
Other partnerships
On her Instagram account, which has 150,000 followers, Carmen showcases her partnerships with Head Padel, Oysho, Padel Pro Shop, Kia Renting and Max Colchon. These collaborations reflect her status as a rising star and her commercial appeal, which is important for funding a demanding professional career.
The Hexagon Cup and new formats
In 2025, Carmen took part in the Hexagon Cup representing 10 Pádel, racing driver Pierre Gasly’s team. In the Next Gen category, she teamed up with Lucía Peralta. "I wanted to play in this tournament last year. It’s an original competition, different from the usual format, and you play as a team", she explained, welcoming the variety of competition formats.
Future prospects
Short-term goals
Currently 17th in the world with 3715 points, Carmen Goenaga aims to establish herself in the top 15 and then the top 10 over the coming months. In Beatriz Caldera, she now has a stable partner with whom she can build for the long term and develop an even better on-court understanding.
Qualifying for the Premier Padel Finals is a major goal. This end-of-season tournament brings together the world’s best pairs and represents the pinnacle of professional padel.
The ambition to win major titles
Having reached her first P2 final in Bordeaux, Carmen now knows she can compete with the best. Her next logical goal is to win her first Premier Padel title, whether at P2 level or, why not, in a higher category.
The Major tournaments are the holy grail of padel today. An exceptional performance at one of them would firmly establish Carmen as an undisputed global star of women’s padel.
An inspiration to young players
At just 20 years old, Carmen Goenaga is already a role model for young players in Spain and beyond. Her journey shows that, with talent, hard work and the right support, it is possible to compete with the world’s best before turning 21.
Her active presence on social media, close relationship with fans and professional attitude on and off the court make her an ideal ambassador for the growth of women’s padel.
Key takeaways
Carmen Goenaga represents the future of Spanish and global women’s padel. At 20, ranked 17th in the world, she has already shown she can cause upsets against the world’s best players. Her final at the Bordeaux P2 in July 2025 alongside Beatriz Caldera will go down as a historic moment: it was the first time a pair outside the top 10 had reached that stage of a Premier Padel tournament.
Her spectacular game, built on aggression, powerful smashes and exceptional touch on the ball, captivates padel fans around the world. A creative and daring left-side player, she never hesitates to take risks to create openings 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 successful career.
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