Talent-laden Paranaque Titans ready to Pacquiao's pro pickleball tournament by storm

September 17, 2026 | 1:10pm

Top row, from left: Nick Alessandro Isagan, Leander Lazaro, Christian Josua Luna, Matt Navarro, Ruben Gonzales Jr., Fatima Ayesha Amirul, Danica Bautista, Mikhyla Cruz, Sarah Jane Lim and Jessica Agra; Bottom row, from left: Long Kuan, Tina Mariano, Jeff Tin and Atty. Alberto Agra

MANILA, Philippines — The Parañaque Titans stormed onto the scene and rolled out its full 10-athlete roster that will see action and represent their city on the national stage in the inaugural Maharlika Pilipinas Pickleball Tour (MPPT).

Leander Paez Lazaro and Sarah Jane Restauro Lim headline a stacked lineup that also features Ruben Antonio Gonzales Jr., Nik Alessandro Isagan, Fatima Ayesha Amirul, Jessica Marie Agra, Christian Josua "CJ" Luna, Matt Daniel Navarro, Danica Calma Bautista, and Mikhyla Julianne Cruz.

Founded by boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, the five-leg MPPT tour tips off October 3-4 in Angeles City, Pampanga, with the winning squad on each leg taking home P1 million.

Parañaque is set on making its case as a contender from Leg 1.

Assembled from the very best the Philippine pickleball scene has to offer — national team mainstays, international medalists, and hungry up-and-comers alike — the Titans were built to tower over the competition from day one.

The Titans are backed by team owners Tina Mariano, Jeff Tin, Long Kuan, and Atty. Albert Agra, with the team powered by Polland Hopia, the Filipino-Chinese pastry brand, alongside Tela Athletics and Tela Park — founding partners putting their name and their courts behind Parañaque's newest sports franchise.

"Today isn't just a contract signing — it's the moment ten athletes became one team," team management said during the contract signing of the 10 players and press briefing at Tela Park in Paranaque City.

Lazaro is one of the Philippines' most decorated pickleball players and a mainstay of the national team. Lazaro has won gold at the Pickleball Viet Open and is consistently ranked among the country's top men's doubles and mixed doubles players. He anchors the Titans' leader-ship on and off the court.

Lim has been widely acknowledged as the Philippines' top female pickleball player and one of the sport's most recognized advocates in the country. A former competitive tennis player with nearly two decades on court, she brings championship composure and leadership to the Titans' women's lineup.

For his part, Gonzales is a former Davis Cup tennis representative and two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist. He is one of the Philippines' top-ranked men's singles pickleball player. His big-match experience makes him one of the most dangerous competitors on the roster.

Agra is the Philippines' No. 1-ranked padel player and an international pickleball medalist with podium finishes in Hanoi and Macau. Her consistency and tournament composure make her a trusted anchor across the Titans' doubles pairings.

Isagan was part of the Philippine squad that swept Vietnam 3-0 to capture the inaugural Pickleball Champions League Asia title in Shenzhen, while Amirul was Pickleball Champions League Asia champion and joint MVP of the 2025 Shenzhen finals.

Luna is also tournament champion and recognized trailblazer in the local pickleball community and Navarro is the youngest in the league and a rising force in Manila's competitive Open division.

A familiar name across Luzon's regional pickleball circuit, Bautista’s tenacity and sharp court awareness have made her a fixture in competitive play, while Cruz

is the Titans' breakout talent who will represent the next generation of Filipino pickleball players — fast-improving, fearless and ready to make her mark on the big stage.

"We didn't just want good players. We went after the best of the best, because that's what wearing the Titans name demands. This is a group that competes for each other, point after point, match after match,” the team management said during the launch.

The MPPT was organized to capitalize on the rapid growth of pickleball across the country, providing a high-level, professional team platform for elite Filipino athletes. (Contributed story)