Tennis Legend Johnny Arcilla Goes Pro in Philippines Pickleball League

Johnny Arcilla spent decades dominating Philippine tennis, winning seven Philippine Columbian Association Open titles and two SEA Games gold medals. Now he has come out of retirement for a paddle, not a racket, after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the inaugural draft of the Pickle Yard Conference League, the country's first professional pickleball league.

Cebuana Lhuillier Gems claimed Arcilla with the top selection at the PYCL's draft and official launch on February 28 at Vista Mall SOMO, making him the headline player of one of eight founding franchises. "I was overwhelmed being the top pick. I'm just doing my job to help the team and contribute to the development of the sport," Arcilla said.

The draft itself reflected pickleball's surging profile in the Philippines. Organizers drew a pool of more than 200 hopefuls for tryouts before selecting 48 players across the league's eight teams, which also include Dentacare Pearly White, Philex Vanguards, IAM Worldwide Warriors, Born2WinPH Forex Bulls, Pertua Stallions, Fortrust Masters, and Cathay Land Hacienderos.

Arcilla was not the only notable name to come off the draft board. Ana Clarice Patrimonio, 24, went to Cathay Land Hacienderos as the No. 1 pick in the women's division and eighth overall, while Bambi Zoleta, 29, was taken first in the third round by the IAM Worldwide Warriors.

The league's launch comes at a significant institutional moment for pickleball in the Philippines. The sport was introduced in the country roughly eight years ago, and its national governing body secured regular membership from both the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission in 2025, lending the PYCL formal sporting credibility from its opening season.

For Arcilla, the transition from tennis icon to professional pickleball pioneer closes a retirement chapter opened after a career that included a silver medal in men's singles and three bronze medals at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad, where he faced opponents including Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna. At the PYCL draft, Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier was among those on hand to welcome him to the franchise, underscoring the corporate investment backing the league's ambitions.