A “special” first ever professional padel tournament in London will be bigger and better in 2027, according to Premier Padel co-chief executive David Serrahima.
London finally joined Premier Padel’s Formula One-style calendar this week and this historic first event at Olympia in Kensington will conclude on Sunday with a fourth consecutive sold-out day.
An estimated 20,000 spectators have attended London P1 to witness world number one pair Arturo Coello and Agustin Tapia in action or simply sample the fast-growing sport in England for the first time, but an enhanced edition in 12 months time is already the aim.
“Coming to London was always going to be special for Premier Padel and it has been a fantastic week,” Premier Padel executive Serrahima told the Press Association.
“We wanted to bring the top men’s and women’s players to the UK and the fact that Olympia sold out tells us that UK fans wanted that too.
“The passion from the fans throughout the week and the welcome we have received from everyone has been special and we’re already looking ahead to bringing back a bigger and better event with our local promoter next year.”
It was announced in May by the Lawn Tennis Association, the national governing body for padel in Great Britain, that participation of the sport had hit the one-million mark and the next big goal was to host a successful first elite event.
With organiser Sela signed up to put on London P1 for another 10 years, big future plans for the tournament are already being drafted up.
Prolific title-winning duo Coello and Tapia have provided star quality in the English capital this week to help create even more of a buzz around the tennis-squash hybrid, with numerous eye-catching shots from outside the glass and smashed winners to stun onlookers.
Viewed as the Carlos Alcaraz of padel, Coello has relished this past week in London.
“It’s been a great experience so far. It’s the first Premier Padel event in the UK, so you can really feel the excitement and it’s fantastic to see the sport continuing to grow in new markets,” Coello said.
“I think it’s a really impressive venue, the atmosphere inside is amazing. It’s a special place to play and a great stage for a tournament like this.
“Seeing so many fans here from the first days is incredible and hopefully this is just the beginning of an even bigger future for padel in the UK.”
