MADRID, 12 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
‘Madrid Premier Padel’ will celebrate its first edition between August 1 and 6 at the WiZink Center, where “the best tournament in the history of padel to date will be played”, as announced in his presentation by the president of the International Padel Federation (FIP), Luigi Carraro.
The tournament, which will be part of the new Premier Padel circuit, will be the fourth test after those held in Doha, Rome and the one held this week in Paris, and the president of the COE, Alejandro Blanco and the president of the FIP, Luigi Carraro, among others.
The president of Madrid Premier Padel, Joan Cuscó, and the representative of Premier Padel Zian Hage Hammoud, accompanied the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports of the Community of Madrid, Marta Rivera de la Cruz, and the Deputy Minister of Sports, Alberto Tomé.
The FIP president, who supports this new circuit, referred to the event as “the best tournament in the history of padel to this day”, since they consider Madrid as “the world capital of padel”.
“It is a very important stage. We have always said that we want to internationalize padel, but we will never forget what Spain is, which is the founder of the FIP, the one that brings more players. Madrid is the first of several important tournaments. In addition, the players are very happy to be able to come here. Many of them live in Madrid and it will be special for them”, declared Luigi Carraro.
MARTA RIVERA: “PADEL IS A VERY MADRID SPORT”
The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport of the Community of Madrid, Marta Rivera de la Cruz, wished that this edition “is the first of many”. “I think a fabulous show is going to be put on and it will show that Madrid is ready to host major international sporting events. This is going to be a show for the people of Madrid and for those who come,” she assured.
Rivera quantified the importance of attracting “these great events” because they always “increase licenses” and encourage the practice of these sports at the base. The counselor insisted on Madrid as “the great capital of paddle tennis”, specifying that there are 115 clubs, almost 8,000 federated players and 34 percent of them women and that paddle tennis is a “very Madrilenian” sport, which is very popular and that after this tournament “will be liked even more”.
“I think that competing with the Foro Italico or Roland Garros is difficult, but we have an advantage, that these facilities are in the center of the city. In Madrid all the players will play at home,” commented Rivera, who focused on the importance of an installation as complete as the WiZink Center.
ALEJANDRO BLANCO: “PADEL HAS AN EXTRAORDINARY FUTURE”
The president of the COE, Alejandro Blanco, stressed that paddle tennis “is a sport that has its origins in Spain, especially its development” where it has “more than 6 million followers” and that it meets all the conditions to be in all countries and with many federations.
If this growth continues, he does not rule out that he could even join the Olympic Games because he has “an extraordinary future throughout the world.” “I think that the Olympic movement is at a time when it has opened up for new sports to enter, they can open the door for sports like paddle tennis to enter,” he added.
In addition, for Alejandro Blanco, if paddle tennis became Olympic, it would not cease to be because “it is a sport that does it extraordinarily well” and that could become a fixed piece “in the Olympic movement”.
THE BEST IN THE WORLD WILL BE IN MADRID
Among the participants are the best in the world in the discipline, including the Spanish couple formed by Juan Lebrón and Ale Galán, who also participated in the presentation. Both were the winners of the first tournament of this new professional circuit that competes with the World Padel Tour (WPT).
The Andalusian Juan Lebrón wanted to thank “everyone who has made this tournament possible” because “Madrid is the capital of paddle tennis”. “I am impressed to see how many people want to upload this sport. I and Ale (Galán) are excited that he is in his city and it will be good that Ale can walk from his house,” he said.
Lebrón believes that playing in Madrid will be “special” because his partner will be local and he has been living “more than ten years” in the Spanish capital. “For me Madrid, in addition to the capital of paddle tennis, is the favorite city that I have in the world and it will be a very special tournament for us. We are going to make all the tournaments win but it will be something very exciting,” he declared. .
For his part, Ale Galán acknowledges that he has “marked the date” and even almost has it “engraved on his skin”. “I am very excited to play this Premier at the WiZink, even if it is a P1 for me it will be one of the most important tournaments we will have this year. Each test has exceeded the expectations we had and the inconvenience lies with the next organizer who has to overcome what the previous one has done,” he explained.
The man from Madrid will arrive “with one hundred percent motivation” and although he acknowledges that they will feel “the support of having the public and playing at home”, both he and his partner need to be “always focused on what happens on the court”.
“Here we have the opportunity to see that sport is taking on a new dimension. I really want to go to the WiZink, see the surprises that may be prepared and I go with great enthusiasm, a lot of energy and a lot of desire”, concluded Galán.