Adarraga was born Townsville, Queensland, to Spanish parents who emigrated to Australia.

In 1979, while spending the holidays with his uncle and aunt in Spain, he was a finalist in the first Spanish squash championship against Carlos Sainz, aged 16, a future world rally champion.

[3] At the age of seventeen, he was quarter-finalist in the World Junior Squash Championships representing Australia, bowing to Jansher Khan.

He then joined the Australian Institute of Sport under the direction of Geoff Hunt.

In 1992, he achieved his best year by rising to the semi-finals of the world championship, only beaten by the Jansher Khan.