Paula Josemaria Martin is a Spanish professional padel player known as "Paulita Dinamita". A left-hander who plays on the right side of the court, she held world No. 1 for three seasons with Ari Sanchez. For 2026 she partners Bea Gonzalez ("Chingalan for women") and has already won Miami P1 and NewGiza P2 titles. She is sponsored by Head.
Who is Paula Josemaria
Paula Josemaria Martin is from Extremadura, Spain, and is one of the most impactful left-handed players on the women's circuit. Like Coello in the men's game, her left-handedness combined with playing on the right side of the court creates tactical advantages most players cannot replicate: her forehand faces the centre, letting her attack down the middle on her dominant wing.
Her nickname "Paulita Dinamita" - Paula Dynamite - captures her playing style. Where Ari Sanchez (her long-time partner) was the tactical architect, Paula was the explosive point-finisher. Strong smash, aggressive volleys, willingness to take risks at pivotal moments.
Partnerships: the Sanchez era and beyond
The Sanchez era (2020-2025)
Paula partnered Ari Sanchez from 2020 through 2025 - five seasons that produced the most successful female pairing in padel history. The pair held world number one in 2023 and 2024 and won over 50 combined titles. Paula played right side despite being left-handed (standard for lefties in women's doubles), with Ari handling the tactical left side.
The separation was announced at the end of 2025 after an emotional season end. "We kept a friend for life, and that's the most beautiful thing from this stage", Paula wrote in her farewell message. The split was not driven by conflict but by both players wanting new challenges.
The Gonzalez partnership (2026-present)
For 2026, Paula paired with Malaga-born Bea Gonzalez, nicknamed "La Perla" (The Pearl). The pairing is unusual for women's padel - two explosive attackers rather than the traditional "tactical left, explosive right" formula. Media describe them as the "women's Tapia-Coello" for the all-attack approach.
The partnership has started strong. After an adjustment period in the first tournaments, Paula-Bea won Miami P1 in March 2026 and NewGiza P2 in April 2026, beating world No. 1 pair Triay-Brea in both finals. The pair are now fighting for No. 1 ranking.
Playing style: left-handed explosion
The left-handed advantage
Paula plays right side as a left-hander. Her forehand faces the centre of the court, which means she can attack down the middle - typically the opponent's weak spot in doubles formation. She is one of a handful of left-handers who make this positioning consistently pay off.
Power on the smash and vibora
Paula's overhead game is one of the most aggressive on the women's tour. Her smash is hit with power similar to many male pros, and her vibora (the sidespin attacking overhead) is a signature shot. Unlike more finesse-focused women players, Paula commits fully to attacking winners.
Risk-taking
Paula will attempt difficult shots others would play safe. Ball on the wrong angle? She attacks. Defensive moment but sees an opening? She pulls the trigger. The result is spectacular winners and also more unforced errors than a purely tactical player produces. In early Paula-Bea matches their stats showed more winners AND more errors than opponents - which ultimately favours them in tight contests.
Paula's racket: Head Flow signature
Paula has been sponsored by Head throughout her career. Her signature rackets fall under the Head Flow collection (historically) and more recently under signature variants. Unlike the Coello, Ari Sanchez or Bullpadel Pearl collections, Paula's signature has been less prominent as a dedicated line - her rackets are more typically variants within Head's broader Extreme family with her graphics.
Her most recent racket is the Head Extreme Motion 2026 Paula Josemaria - a teardrop-shaped racket focused on versatility. Previous seasons saw her with the Extreme One in various iterations.
| Spec | Typical Paula Josemaria racket |
|---|---|
| Shape | Teardrop |
| Weight | ~360-370g |
| Balance | Medium to medium-high |
| Core | Power Foam |
| Level | Advanced |
The teardrop choice is interesting given her aggressive style - most pure power players gravitate to diamonds. But Paula needs some forgiveness for the risk-taking game she plays. The teardrop gives her the best of both: enough power for attacks, enough control for the shots that go wrong.
Career record
- World No. 1 for three consecutive seasons (2022-2024)
- 19 Premier Padel titles (record, with Gonzalez win in NewGiza April 2026)
- 48 total circuit titles across Premier Padel, WPT and pre-2022 circuits
- Most successful female pairing in history (with Ari Sanchez)
- Current partnership: Bea Gonzalez, winning Miami P1 and NewGiza P2 in early 2026
- Current sponsor: Head
Paula is in her late 20s as of 2026 - in peak years. The partnership change has renewed her competitive energy. Pundits who wrote her off when the Ari Sanchez pairing ended have been silenced by the Miami and NewGiza titles.
What club players can learn from Paula
Commit to your attacks
Paula does not half-commit. When she decides to attack, she goes fully. The worst padel outcome is the hesitant attack that ends up neither a winner nor a safe shot - those produce the most errors at club level. Either commit to attacking or commit to the reset.
If you're left-handed, use the right side
Left-handers have a structural advantage in doubles if they play the right side. Your forehand faces the middle, the shot most lefties are strongest at becomes the weapon for the hardest area to cover. If you're left-handed and play left side, experiment with switching.
Teardrop beats diamond for most players
Even an attacking player like Paula plays a teardrop, not a diamond. The reason: forgiveness matters when you are swinging aggressively and sometimes mis-timing the ball. Diamonds are for players with near-perfect technique. See our teardrop rackets guide.