Padel Just South of No Man's Land
El Remate #2
Welcome to the 2nd newsletter of El Remate: your weekly(ish) dose of everything happening in the fastest-growing racquet sport from a đșđž POV. From London to Buenos Aires to New York City to Madrid, weâre covering it all.
đ Topics weâll cover this weekđ Euro & Asia recap: Spain doubles up, UAE stuns, Japan unstoppable
đ Global padel expansion: Neymarâs mega complex, HeinekenÂź 0.0 joins Premier Padel, Boca Ratonâs Padel X glow-up
đ€ Middle-of-nowhere madness: Amarillo gets its first two padel courts⊠yes, really
đŹ Awkward but funny: Congressman caught swinging mid-session in Mexico
đ€© Cool padel court of the week: 2,300-year-old fortress edition
Enjoy the read! đ
đ Tournament Roundup đ„ Double Gold for Spain at the FIP Euro Padel Cup (đȘđž)
Spain did it again. The menâs team clinched their 12th European padel title in 14 tries, fueled by Ălex Ruizâs âone-shot-one-killâ smashes and Juanlu Esbriâs steady hands. They edged out Portugalâs Deus brothers 6-4 7-5 before Javi Leal and Ălvaro Cepero sealed the deal⊠business as usual for a squad thatâs basically allergic to losing. đââ
Spainâs women matched the energy, completing a âtriple crownâ after previous golds in Cagliari 2024 and Doha 2024. LucĂa Sainz and Martina Calvo took just over an hour to dismantle France 6-3 6-0. When asked about their chemistry, Sainz teased: âLetâs just say her nickname might involve tortilla.â
Meanwhile, Italy danced away with double bronze, their men and women both finishing third and punching tickets to the next FIP Euro Padel Cup Final 8. đ„ FIP president Luigi Carraro called it âa historic result.â
đ Asia Final 8: UAE and Japan Take the Crown in Doha (đ¶đŠ)
Padel just had its first-ever FIP Asia Padel Cup in Doha. The United Arab Emirates stunned the hosts Qatar 2â1 in a tight menâs final at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash International Complex. đȘ After the Nawaf brothers briefly leveled things for Qatar, Goenaga and F. Al Janahi slammed the door shut 6â4, 6â1⊠cue the champagne (or Arabic coffee, rather) celebrations for the Emirates.
Meanwhile, Australia snagged bronze đ„ after sweeping Iran 2â0. Over in the womenâs draw, Japan proved unstoppable, downing Iran 2â0 to claim the inaugural title. Bonus points to Indonesia for quietly grabbing third⊠not bad for a team that started from Phase 2.
đ International Padel Scene đŽ Neymar Jr. Serves Up a New Kind of Court (đ§đ·)
Brazilâs favorite showman Neymar Jr. is building a massive 14,000 mÂČ padel and beach tennis complex in the smart city of Porto Belo Lagos. The project, dubbed Ecossistema Neymar Jr., will mix luxury with leisure: think padel courts, a soccer (or âfootballâ depending where youâre from) field of course âœ, training centers, and chill zones that scream âsporty resort vibes.â
Teaming up with Neymar Sr., the father-son duo want to put padel on Brazilâs global sports map, turning this seaside city into a playground for both pros and influencers who forgot theyâre not pros. The project is slated to open in 2027, so youâve got two years to practice your bandeja before the inevitable celeb exhibition match.
Neymar invests in massive 14,000 mÂČ padel complex in Brazil
đ» Heineken 0.0 Joins the Padel Party (đłđ±)
Looks like HeinekenÂź 0.0 just cracked open a cold one with Premier Padel. Starting in 2026, the iconic Dutch brewer becomes the tourâs Global Beer Partner, bringing its zero-alcohol buzz to center court. Because why not pound a brewski between sets without consequences?
The fitâs almost too perfect: over 70 % of padel players say they play for the social side. đ„ Heinekenâs betting that its guilt-free brew slides right into that scene: refreshing enough for the locker room, respectable enough for the wellness crowd. As Bram Westenbrink (the brandâs CCO) put it, itâs all about connection, balance, and maybe a cheeky toast after a 6-4 6-3.
Premier Padel CEO David Sugden called the deal âa powerful signal that now is padelâs moment.â Hard to argue⊠the 2025 season hit 24 tournaments across 16 countries, with 2026 expanding into Asia. So yeah, padelâs going global đ⊠and HeinekenÂź 0.0 will be there to make sure nobody goes thirsty while it happens.
đ Boca Raton Just Got a Glow-Up: Padel X Lands in Paradise (đșđž)
Good, tasteful news coming out of Florida, for once! đ Padel X has officially opened its sleek new club in Boca Raton, complete with eight indoor courts, a pro shop, and even wellness and recovery zones. Itâs the brandâs second U.S. location, proving that Americaâs finally grasping the fact that padel is addictive. đŹ
The grand opening and tournament kicked off October 25th with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Mayor Scott Singer alongside Padel X co-founders Nalle Grinda and Juan Pablo Leria. If you missed it, donât sweat⊠a West Palm Beach location is already on the way. Looking ahead, the club aims to become a local hub for wellness, community, and global padel culture.
Boca Raton welcomes new state-of-the-art padel club with grand opening and tournament
đŻ Quick HitsđŹ Priorities, GĂŒey: Congressman Caught Playing Padel Mid-Session (đČđœ)
As Mexican Congress debated a National Water Law, CuauhtĂ©moc Blanco (yes, the legendary ex-footballer turned Morena party deputy) was spotted literally playing padel during the live-streamed session. When asked for his vote, he cheerfully replied, âThank you very much,â between forehands. đ
Fellow lawmakers were quick to notice. One quipped, âYou can hear the rackets from here,â while another scolded him to âpay attention, CuauhtĂ©moc.â Bro didnât even mute himself⊠rookie Zoom move for someone who once played in three FIFA World Cups. âœ
Mexican Congressman Caught Playing Padel Tennis During Online Session
đ€ Never Thought Iâd Be Writing This, But⊠(đșđž)
Giddy up! Of all places, Amarillo, Texas (yes, that city in the middle of the stateâs tumbleweed-laden pandhandle), now has two padel courts at the Amarillo National Tennis Center. đł If thatâs not a testament to how popular this sport has become, I donât know what is. Parks and Recreation teamed up with the Alex OâBrien Tennis Foundation to make it happen.
Locally-raised tennis legend Alex OâBrien calls padel a mix of tennis, pickleball, squash, and racquetball, all played on a cozy court where the walls are part of the fun. The city dropped nearly $1M on lights, court resurfacing, and clubhouse upgrades. Ribbon cutting included demos and learn-to-play sessions, and OâBrien predicts the courts will fill up fast. So grab a racket before Amarillo goes from âby morningâ to âby every evening.â đââïžđš
đ€© Cool Padel Court of the Weekđ Belgrade, đ·đž at the foot of a 2,300 year old fortress!
More info here!
For more đ padel content, follow @padelyanqui on Instagram! đ€ And if you have any feedback or news to share, just respond to this email :)
See you next week & keep smashing those volleys đŸ