The king of local men’s tennis from a bygone era, Johnny Arcilla, is still grinding it out, but this time on the pickleball courts. How does he still do it at his age?
The name “Johnny Arcilla” is familiar to Philippine tennis fans of a certain age.
In the 2000s, Arcilla was the undisputed king of local men’s tennis, winning the Philippine Columbian Open five times, before adding another four PCA titles in the 2010s. For good measure, he won a 10th crown in 2022 at the ripe old age of 42.
Nowadays, Arcilla is active in the local pickleball scene. He recently signed with the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems of the Pickle Yard Conference League (PYCL), the first duly recognized professional pickleball league in the country after first getting hooked to the sport in late 2024 while visiting his brother in Singapore.
Ironically, it was a tennis injury that led him to pickleball.
“Hindi ako nakapaglaro ng tennis kasi na-injure ‘yung wrist ko, namamaga,” Arcilla told The GAME in an exclusive interview. “Overused sa tennis. ‘Yung kapatid ko na nagtatrabaho doon sa Singapore, nagko-coach din siya ng tennis. So nagpunta ako dun, nag-vacation lang ng two to three weeks.”
Johnny noticed that his brother and some other Filipinos would play pickleball every day during their break time. Eventually, he tried it out, even though he was still rehabbing his wrist.
“Parang naiingit ako eh, gusto ko i-try,” he recalls. “Subukan ko kung masakit ba ito, masakit ba ipalo o hindi. Iiwan ko na ‘yung tennis siguro, kasi nga pag pinalo ko sa raketa, masakit pa rin eh.
“’Yung pag-try ko [pickleball], medyo hindi naman masakit. So parang ito na ‘yung sign siguro, parang gusto ko lang mag-pickleball.”
Johnny hasn’t looked back since. When he returned to Manila, he began playing pickleball more frequently, and pretty soon he had given up tennis almost completely to focus on his new passion.
Different strokes, different approach
The switch from tennis to pickleball brought about some changes in Johnny’s physical and mental preparation. While both are racket sports, the differences in style of play and rules meant a difference in preparation as well.
“Magkaiba eh,” he explains. “Kasi walang chillax-chillax sa tennis since mahaba ‘yung scoring tapos apat na oras ka sa isang laro pa lang, first round mo. Sa pickleball naman madali siya and mabilis din ‘yung laro. Hindi naman kailangan siguro more stamina sa pickleball, more diskarte.
“More drills siguro kung anong magandang palo, kung anong puwede mong gawin na magandang palo. Sa tennis kasi more stamina, more fitness talaga siya. Sa pickleball more fitness naman pero hindi parehas sa tennis talaga. Kasi 15 minutes tapos na ‘yan.”
Since he picked up the sport late and wasn’t exposed to proper pickleball training at a young age, Johnny does his own research on how best to train and prepare for a match.
“Minsan nga, ‘pag may tournament, nanonood ako ng YouTube!” he said. “Parang ginagaya ko lang talaga. Parang tennis lang din ginagawa ko.”
He also makes sure to get in a few reps with his regular doubles partner Ken Unique dela Cruz.
“Minsan niyayaya ko si Ken na puwede ba tayo mag-dink dink kahit one hour lang. Nagkikita kami sa Pickle Yard tapos maglalaro kami doon na one-on-one. Siya ‘yung partner ko palagi pag may pickleball tournament eh.
“‘Yun lang ‘yung routine palagi. Kahit one-on-one lang, kumbaga para sa akin yung pinaka gusto kong training talaga. Dinking-dinking kumbaga sa pickleball.”
It’s all about polishing and refining similar skillsets.
“Kasi ‘yung sa pickleball more mahabang pasensya diyan. Sa tennis naman pag malakas palo mo, okay ka na. Dito kasi, madiskarte ka dapat sa pickleball talaga, matiyaga.”
Johnny also makes it a point to join as much tournaments, given that pickleball tilts employ a different format. Unlike the week-long span in tennis, pickleball competitions can be finished within one day, and the transition can be gruelling for first-timers.
Of course, Johnny continues to prioritize his physical fitness, albeit at a lighter pace compared to his tennis days.
“Iba rin talaga ‘yung routine ng pickleball, kaya sumasali ako ng regular tournament para at least masanay ka ng masanay. Kasi hindi ka sanay sa buong araw sa court eh, sa tennis isang araw lang uwi ka na. Isang laro lang uwi ka na, tas bukas ulit,” he said.
A new chapter
Wherever his pickleball adventure takes him, Johnny Arcilla is just happy that he has found a new sporting passion. After years of playing at a high level in tennis, he’s now embracing pickleball wholeheartedly. He’s not even ruling out a return to international competition – as a pickleball player.
“Siyempre nakakatuwa naman kasi kumbaga tapos na nga ako sa tennis,” he said. “Parang bagong chapter naman ng buhay ko dito sa pickleball. Meron pang naniniwala na pwede pa ako pambato sa ibang bansa and nakikita naman nila ‘yung result.
“Ang sarap tuloy mag-focus sa pickleball din talaga kasi parang meron pang ibubuga diba? Kaya pa. Diba ‘yung pickleball naman maikli lang ‘yung scoring, yung court, so kaya pa talaga.”
He has also come to terms with the fact that his tennis journey has finally come to an end, at least in his favorite men’s singles.
“Sa tennis di na talaga kaya sa singles kasi ang hirap na talaga kasi malawak ‘yung court, ang dami pa mga bata na magagaling na. Okay naman ako kasi natapos na. Nag-SEA (Southeast Asian) Games din ako, nag-Asian Games din ako, nag-Davis Cup din. Kaya tapos na ako.”
Banner images courtesy of Johnny Arcilla.
Frequently Asked Questions
Johnny Arcilla was the dominant force in Philippine men’s tennis in the 2000s, winning the Philippine Columbian Open five times and adding four more PCA titles in the 2010s. He captured a 10th crown in 2022 at age 42 before transitioning to pickleball.
Arcilla switched to pickleball after suffering an overuse wrist injury from tennis. While recovering in Singapore, he tried pickleball with his brother, found it caused less pain on his wrist than tennis, and decided to pursue the sport instead.
Johnny Arcilla signed with the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems of the Pickle Yard Conference League (PYCL), recognized as the first official professional pickleball league in the Philippines, marking a new chapter in his competitive playing career.
Arcilla says pickleball demands more strategy and patience than the stamina-heavy training required in tennis. He studies match footage on YouTube, mimics techniques he observes, and regularly practices dinking drills with his doubles partner, Ken Unique dela Cruz.
No, Arcilla has stepped away from competitive singles tennis, citing the physical demands of the larger court and the rise of younger talent. Having represented the Philippines in the SEA Games, Asian Games, and Davis Cup, he considers that chapter complete.
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