How the first date of the Premier Padel circuit in Argentina came about: all the details

The first years of life are about choices, about growth, about learning; in people, in countries and in sport. So also in paddle tennis, with less than 50 years in Argentina (he was born in Mexico in 1969) and (to mark another milestone) 30 years after the first World Cup, he is sailing the winds of change. In that padel ecosystem, a new world circuit began to blow with hurricane force.

The Premier Padel was born this year as one more proposal, where there were already two world circuits, the WPT and the APT; and shows the intention of being much more than the third in discord. So it was that he presented his first date in Doha, then went through Rome, Paris (playing in the main stadium of Roland Garros), Madrid and now lands in Argentina. And his arrival one of the power countries in padel chose the imposing Aconcagua Arena de Mendoza.

The best players on the planet are now at the foot of the mountain range. The Argentines, Agustín Tapia, Fernando BelasteguinDaniel “Sanyo” Gutierrez, Martin Di Nenno, to name a handful. Along with the best in Spain, Juan Lebron, Alejandro GalanFrancisco “Paquito” Navarro, and several more, a total of 48 pairs that will face each other until only two reach this Sunday, which is almost sold out the 8,600 seats of the covered stadiuma few hundred more than the stadium where it was played in Madrid.

Already when approaching the huge sports coliseum, the billboards in all the surroundings anticipate that something important is inside. Once under the five-acre roof, giant screens shine everywhere. In the center of attention, three paddle tennis courts, in garish blue, highlight a yellow ball that bounces like hell. This Tuesday the main draw matches began, on a date that will be, like all first times, different, historic.

The president of the Argentine Padel Association (APA), Santiago Brito, tells why Mendoza and how much it costs to place Argentina on a date on the world circuit. “We were looking for a location outside of Buenos Aires with more interest, to support the sport in the interior. One of the first to call us was Mendoza, due to a predisposition we leaned more on them, not only because of the enthusiasm but also because of the preparation and all the infrastructure that surrounds the stadium”.

With the tournament underway, Brito says he is “very happy with the decision to take the date to Mendoza.” A P1 level date of the Premie Padel (there is a higher level called Major), requires an investment of 450,000 euros, which is distributed 200,000 in the feed to enter and 250,000 is the prizes for the players. The latter is not a minor fact, it was one of the great changes that the Premier circuit brought about, multiplying by five the prizes that the players were used to receiving.

“The province contributes half of what the event is worth, the other half comes from the APA with a business plan with a sponsor, venue rentals, ticket sales,” Brito details. “Unfortunately the date was chosen by Premier, the hWe would have preferred more for the end of the year, but it was the gap that there was, ”adds the president, who only took office in November of last year. He now signing an agreement with 3 years of validity, which ensures the date in Argentina, without being conditioned to repeat the venue.

The Premier Padel is the first circuit to have the organization of the International Paddle Federation (FIP), and its objective is to organize tournaments during this year (the next one is in Mexico City), and in 2023, so that in 2024 it will consolidate 25 dates all over the world.

For now, now in Mendoza there are the best couples on the planet of paddle tennis writing the pages of the first times, in a young and vibrant sport that seeks to write its own history.

It is televised in Argentina by ESPN. This Wednesday, the main games (in this order):

Since 10:

Belasteguin and Coello vs. Astoreca and Maldonado

And then:

Tapia and Gutierrez vs. Alves and Flores

Galán and Lebrón vs Ayats and Perino

Navarro and Di Nenno vs Escobar and Gaitan

Chingotto y Tello vs Rolla y Augsburger