Mota Alhouni

Hometown: Tripoli, Libya
Current Residence: Golden Valley, MN
Career highlights: 1st place in Mens Doubles – PPA, Lakeville 2023

When Mota Alhouni first encountered pickleball, his initial impressions were modest, perceiving it as nothing more than “people standing at a net hitting back and forth.”

Then he picked up a paddle—and everything changed.

Driven by his competitive nature, Mota found in pickleball a compelling reason to emerge from tennis retirement and reignite his passion for competition.

Reflecting on his journey, he expresses, “Pickleball gave me a reason to get out of tennis retirement and start competing again.”

Mota’s athletic journey began in Tripoli, Libya, where he represented his country at the 2009 Mediterranean Olympics and later competed as a member of the Libyan National Tennis Team across Europe and the Middle East.

However, the tumultuous events of the Arab Spring prompted his family to relocate to Cairo, Egypt, to escape the violence.

Undeterred by the challenges, Mota then seized the opportunity to pursue education and sports in the United States. Arriving in Minnesota in 2011, he joined the Gustavus Adolphus College tennis team on scholarship, eventually ranking No. 3 nationwide before graduating.

His younger brother, Mo, followed in his footsteps, joining him at Gustavus. The two formed a formidable doubles partnership, a tradition they continue on the pickleball court today. Mota shares, “Mo took Gustavus to the NCAA tournament and now runs the tennis program at Lifetime Fitness. I’m 31, he’s 27—so we have a multitude of tournaments ahead of us.”

In February 2023, Mota boldly entered his first tournament at the Lakeville PPA in Minnesota. Remarkably, by March, he had ascended to rank among the world’s top players—a testament to his unwavering dedication and skill.

Mota attributes his swift ascent in pickleball to his foundation in tennis, achieving a Top 50 world ranking in his debut year. Yet, he harbors even greater aspirations, expressing, “I hope to break into the Top 5, to play on Championship Sunday, and to make a name for myself and my
family.”

Beyond the court, Mota serves as the full-time managing partner of a Minneapolis-based IT consulting firm, TIPS Consulting, showcasing his skill set not only in sports but also in the professional arena.