With pride, we announce that The Padellers is now a proud partner of top talents Bo Luttikhuis and Thijs Roper. Both Bo and Thijs rank among the top 10 best padel players in the Netherlands, holding the 7th and 6th positions respectively. Both talents aspire to become the best in the Netherlands and also have international ambitions to reach the absolute top. The Padellers is ready to support them in achieving these goals! Read on to learn more about these two padel stars.
Bo Luttikhuis
Bo, a rising star in the world of padel, like many other top padellers in the national scene, has always played tennis at a high level. After an injury from an accident, she decided to end her professional sports career and focus on her studies while working as a marketer at The Padellers. Her enthusiasm for padel was ignited when she was regularly invited by colleagues to hit the court. In 2023, she began serious training under Alex Luneman, where she is surrounded by a dedicated team.
With just one season under her belt, Bo has already achieved impressive results, currently ranking 7th and 5th in the Netherlands with her partner Liza Groenveld. While Bo acknowledges that Spain is a padel paradise, she also appreciates the progress she has made in the Netherlands. Additionally, she still works part-time at The Padellers, which gives her the space and time to invest in padel. For her, this is the ideal partnership.
Before a match, Bo sticks to rituals from her tennis past, such as stepping onto the court with her right foot over the lines. Bo admires the precision and pressure resilience of the absolute top players in the game, a trait she also strives for. She also enjoys watching Bea Gonzalez, especially for the ease with which she moves around the court.
Bo describes her own playing style as controlled and determined, with her favorite shot being the drop volley. It's a risky shot, but especially satisfying when it lands. Bo's ultimate goal is to become the number 1 player in the Netherlands and participate in the Premier Padel Tour. Additionally, she hopes to represent the Netherlands at the European and World Championships this year, an ambition that drives her in her padel journey.
Thijs Roper
Thijs, an emerging talent in the world of padel, like Bo, has his roots in tennis. He started his padel journey at the age of 13, which came naturally to him due to his tennis background. At the age of 14, he had the opportunity to participate in the Youth World Championships, which inspired him to maximize his talent from a young age.
Thijs doesn't specifically look to padel players as role models but draws inspiration from legends like Michael Phelps and Tiger Woods. However, he admires padellers at the highest level who, in his view, make fewer mistakes while being able to apply more pressure.
While Thijs enjoys playing in different countries and trains in Barcelona due to the wide range of players and the high level of experienced coaches they have there, he still finds it special to play in front of his own audience in the Netherlands.
Before a match, Thijs engages in thorough warm-up and mental preparation, without too many superstitions.
Thijs beschrijft zichzelf als motiverend en energiek op de baan. Met een focus op fulltime training op het hoogste niveau in Barcelona, streeft Thijs ernaar om de (inter)nationale ranking aan te vallen. Zijn ultieme doel is om de top 50 van de wereld te bereiken, waarvoor hij zichzelf constant uitdaagt en blijft ontwikkelen. Thijs describes himself as motivational and energetic on the court. With a focus on full-time training at the highest level in Barcelona, Thijs aims to challenge the (inter)national rankings. His ultimate goal is to break into the top 50 in the world, for which he constantly challenges himself and continues to develop.