From competing internationally in tennis to winning championships in padel, Saudi athlete Areej Khalil Fareh has built a sporting career across two racket sports. After earning a tennis scholarship in the United States, she discovered padel upon moving to Riyadh and eventually joined Saudi Arabia's first national padel team. Since then, she has become a Saudi Games gold medalist, an inaugural Saudi Padel League champion, and a member of the national team that secured historic regional medals.
At 28, Areej has also represented Saudi Arabia at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, reached the women's doubles quarterfinals, and competed on the international professional padel circuit. Her journey reflects both her achievements as an athlete and her ambition to encourage more women to participate in the sport.
A Childhood Built Around Tennis
Born on July 12, 1998, Areej Fareh developed her interest in racket sports through tennis, which had been part of her life since childhood. She competed internationally and earned an athletic scholarship to play tennis while pursuing her university studies in the United States. After graduating, Areej moved to Riyadh, where she discovered padel for the first time. Although the sport was still relatively new in Saudi Arabia, she recognized a developing community similar to the one she had known through tennis. Her interest grew when Saudi Arabia announced the formation of its first national padel team. Areej attended the selection trials and successfully earned a place in the squad, beginning a new chapter in her sporting career.
"Joining the Saudi national team was a wonderful moment for me"
The opportunity renewed her competitive passion and encouraged her to participate in tournaments across the Gulf. What began as an unfamiliar sport eventually became the focus of her professional sporting career.
Adapting to a Different Racket Sport
Although tennis and padel share certain skills, Areej Fareh had to adapt to a different style of competition. Padel is primarily played in doubles on an enclosed court, requiring coordinated movement, quick decisions, and effective communication between partners. For Areej, the challenge went beyond physical ability.
"It's not just about strength; it demands precision, strategy, and mental fortitude."
She also emphasized agility, quick reflexes, endurance, and the ability to make decisions under pressure. Her tennis background provided a foundation, but developing as a padel player required learning new techniques and understanding the demands of doubles competition. As she gained experience, Areej began participating in tournaments across Arab countries while establishing herself within Saudi Arabia's growing padel community.
Major Achievements and Competitive Milestones
Areej Fareh's career has progressed through national championships, regional competitions, and international professional events. Her achievements include Saudi Games gold, a league championship with AlUla Club, Gulf medals, and an Asian Games quarterfinal appearance.
October 2024 — Saudi Games Women's Doubles Gold
One of Areej's most significant domestic achievements came at the 2024 Saudi Games in Riyadh, where she competed in women's doubles alongside Fatma Al Nabhani. The pair secured the gold medal, finishing ahead of silver medalists Gabriela Andrade and Sarah Salhab. Maria Santos and Samaher Kurdi completed the podium with bronze. The victory established Areej as a Saudi Games champion and demonstrated her ability to perform successfully alongside different doubles partners. It also added an important national title to her career as she continued developing her international ambitions.
December 2024 — Winning the Inaugural Saudi Padel League
Areej Fareh achieved another milestone as a member of AlUla Club, helping the team win the inaugural Saudi Padel League in December 2024. She described the championship as a successful team effort, recognizing the shared contribution of the players involved. The title gave her another achievement beyond individual doubles competitions and connected her career to the development of organized club padel in Saudi Arabia. Her participation with AlUla Club also reflected the growing opportunities available to athletes through Saudi sporting clubs.
September 2025 — Saudi Women's First Official Gulf Padel Medal
Areej contributed to an important national-team achievement at the 2025 Gulf Padel Cup in Doha, Qatar. Saudi Arabia's women's team faced the United Arab Emirates in the bronze-medal contest. Areej and Alanoud Yamani opened the tie with a 7–6, 7–5 victory in their doubles match. The overall contest lasted more than three hours, with the Saudi team securing the bronze medal. The result marked the first official medal in the history of Saudi women's padel. For Areej Fareh, the achievement added a regional medal to her Saudi Games and club-level successes. It also represented an important step for the women's national team as it continued gaining experience against regional opponents.
December 2025 — Theeb Elite Padel Cup Title
Areej closed 2025 with another domestic title at the Theeb Elite Padel Cup, a competition held under the Saudi Padel Federation's tournament calendar. Partnering with Sol Pérez, she won first place in the women's Category A competition. The pair received a SAR 15,000 prize for their victory. The championship demonstrated Areej's ability to compete successfully with different partners and added another title to her domestic record before the beginning of the 2026 season.
January–March 2026 — Three Domestic Championship Victories
Areej Fareh began 2026 with a series of victories alongside Alanoud Yamani. In January, the pair won the women's competition at the first Saudi Padel Ranking Championship in Al Khobar, held from January 21 to 24. They finished ahead of Basmah Alhuwaish and Fatimah Alharbi. Their success continued at the third Al Qadsiah Ramadan Padel Championship, which concluded on March 2. Areej and Alanoud claimed the women's title, with Samaher Kurdi and Sarah Salhab finishing second.
Just days later, they secured another victory at the second Saudi Padel Ranking Championship in Jeddah, held from March 3 to 7. Three tournament titles in the opening months of 2026 reflected Areej's consistency in domestic competition and the strength of her partnership with Alanoud.
May 2026 — Silver at the GCC Games in Doha
Another regional achievement followed at the fourth GCC Games in Doha in May 2026. Areej Fareh was part of the Saudi women's national padel squad, which secured the silver medal behind Kuwait, with the United Arab Emirates finishing third. The result added another medal to her national-team career, following Saudi Arabia's bronze at the previous year's Gulf Padel Cup. It also reflected the growing competitiveness of Saudi women's padel as players continued gaining experience through regional competitions.
September 2026 — Asian Games Quarterfinalist
Areej represented Saudi Arabia at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where padel made its first appearance at the continental competition. Competing alongside Alanoud Yamani in women's doubles, she faced Thailand's Natalie Narkprasert and Dares Srirungreang in the round of 16 on September 30. The Saudi pair won the opening set 6–1 before Thailand levelled the match by taking the second set 7–6. After three hours of competition, Areej and Alanoud secured the deciding set 7–6 to reach the quarterfinals.
Following the victory, the two players spoke about the physical difficulty of the match, including muscle cramps during the deciding set. Despite those challenges, they continued competing and secured Saudi Arabia's first victory in Asian Games padel. Their campaign ended in the quarterfinals against Japan's Saki Tsukamoto and Kae Tokumoto, who went on to claim the women's doubles gold medal. Although Areej did not reach the podium, her participation gave her another opportunity to compete against leading international opponents and added a major continental appearance to her career.
Competing on the International Professional Circuit
Beyond national-team competitions, Areej Fareh has been developing her career through tournaments recognized by the International Padel Federation (FIP). Her appearances include the Riyadh Season Premier Padel P1, FIP Bronze Doha, FIP Bronze Bahrain, FIP Bronze Abu Dhabi, and FIP Bronze Playa in Egypt. In February 2026, she competed at the Riyadh Season P1 alongside Alanoud Yamani, reaching the round of 32. She also recorded round-of-16 appearances at FIP tournaments in Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Egypt during the year.
Areej has reached a career-high world ranking inside the top 200. On October 26, 2026, she held world No. 345 with 61 ranking points, placing her among the higher-ranked Saudi women on the international circuit. While she has not yet won an international FIP Tour title, her participation reflects her commitment to competing beyond domestic tournaments and gaining experience against players from different countries.
A Successful Partnership with Alanoud Yamani
One of the defining aspects of Areej Fareh's padel career has been her partnership with Alanoud Yamani, captain of the Saudi women's national padel team. Together, they have won multiple Saudi ranking championships, contributed to national-team medals, and represented Saudi Arabia at the Asian Games. Their partnership has produced important results across different levels of competition. The 2025 Gulf Padel Cup bronze and the 2026 Asian Games quarterfinal appearance stand alongside their domestic titles as significant achievements.
The Asian Games match against Thailand particularly demonstrated their ability to maintain their performance under pressure. Despite physical difficulties and a demanding three-set contest, they continued competing until securing victory. Their success highlights the importance of communication, trust, and coordinated play in doubles padel, where athletes must understand each other's movements and respond quickly to changing situations.
Encouraging More Women to Play Padel
Areej Fareh's ambitions extend beyond winning tournaments. She hopes her sporting journey will encourage more women to discover padel, whether for competition, fitness, or enjoyment. She believes that building an inclusive padel community can provide women with opportunities to develop confidence, establish friendships, and learn from experienced players. Her ambitions also include collaborating with padel organizations and other sporting groups to organize tournaments, social gatherings, and activities that introduce new audiences to the sport.
She has suggested combining padel with fitness activities and community events to attract women who might not otherwise consider participating. Her goal is to help create more opportunities for women in Riyadh to connect, compete, and develop their abilities through padel.
"If my journey can ignite that spark in just one person, that will be the greatest achievement of all."
For Areej, encouraging another woman to enter a padel court would represent a meaningful achievement beyond her own sporting results.
Areej Fareh and the Future of Saudi Women's Padel
Areej Fareh's journey from international tennis to Saudi padel reflects her ability to adapt her sporting experience to new opportunities. As women's padel expands across Saudi Arabia, Areej is among the athletes contributing to its development through competition, national representation, and efforts to encourage wider participation. Her journey shows that sporting success is not limited to medals and rankings, but also includes the opportunities athletes help create for others.
Follow Riyada Hub for the wins, stories, and insights shaping the future of Saudi sports.
