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 🇺🇸 POV. From London to Buenos Aires to New York City to Madrid, we’re covering it all.

🔍 Topics we’ll cover this week

• 🏆 Euro & Asia recap: Spain doubles up, UAE stuns, Japan unstoppable

• 🌍 Global padel expansion: Neymar’s mega complex, Heineken® 0.0 joins Premier Padel, Boca Raton’s Padel X glow-up

• 🤠 Middle-of-nowhere madness: Amarillo gets its first two padel courts… yes, really

• 😬 Awkward but funny: Congressman caught swinging mid-session in Mexico

• 🤩 Cool padel court of the week: 2,300-year-old fortress edition

Enjoy the read! 💛

🏆 Tournament Roundup 

🥇 Double Gold for Spain at the FIP Euro Padel Cup (🇪🇸)

Spain did it again. The men’s team clinched their 12th European padel title in 14 tries, fueled by Álex Ruiz’s “one-shot-one-kill” smashes and Juanlu Esbri’s steady hands. They edged out Portugal’s Deus brothers 6-4 7-5 before Javi Leal and Álvaro Cepero sealed the deal… business as usual for a squad that’s basically allergic to losing. 💁‍♂

Spain’s women matched the energy, completing a “triple crown” after previous golds in Cagliari 2024 and Doha 2024. Lucía Sainz and Martina Calvo took just over an hour to dismantle France 6-3 6-0. When asked about their chemistry, Sainz teased: “Let’s just say her nickname might involve tortilla.”

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. 🥉 FIP president Luigi Carraro called it “a historic result.”

Double gold for Spain again at FIP Euro Padel Cup

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🎌 Asia Final 8: UAE and Japan Take the Crown in Doha (🇶🇦)

Padel just had its first-ever FIP Asia Padel Cup in Doha. The United Arab Emirates stunned the hosts Qatar 2–1 in a tight men’s final at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash International Complex. 💪 After the Nawaf brothers briefly leveled things for Qatar, Goenaga and F. Al Janahi slammed the door shut 6–4, 6–1… cue the champagne (or Arabic coffee, rather) celebrations for the Emirates.

Meanwhile, Australia snagged bronze 🥉 after sweeping Iran 2–0. Over in the women’s draw, Japan proved unstoppable, downing Iran 2–0 to claim the inaugural title. Bonus points to Indonesia for quietly grabbing third… not bad for a team that started from Phase 2.

Asia Final 8, men’s final | Asia Final 8, Women’s final

🌍 International Padel Scene  

🌴 Neymar Jr. Serves Up a New Kind of Court (🇧🇷)

Brazil’s favorite showman Neymar Jr. is building a massive 14,000 m² 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 “football” depending where you’re from) field of course ⚽, training centers, and chill zones that scream “sporty resort vibes.”

Teaming up with Neymar Sr., the father-son duo want to put padel on Brazil’s global sports map, turning this seaside city into a playground for both pros and influencers who forgot they’re not pros. The project is slated to open in 2027, so you’ve got two years to practice your bandeja before the inevitable celeb exhibition match.

Neymar invests in massive 14,000 m² padel complex in Brazil

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🍻 Heineken 0.0 Joins the Padel Party (🇳🇱)

Looks like Heineken® 0.0 just cracked open a cold one with Premier Padel. Starting in 2026, the iconic Dutch brewer becomes the tour’s Global Beer Partner, bringing its zero-alcohol buzz to center court. Because why not pound a brewski between sets without consequences?

The fit’s almost too perfect: over 70 % of padel players say they play for the social side. 🥂 Heineken’s 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 brand’s CCO) put it, it’s all about connection, balance, and maybe a cheeky toast after a 6-4 6-3.

Premier Padel CEO David Sugden called the deal “a powerful signal that now is padel’s moment.” Hard to argue… the 2025 season hit 24 tournaments across 16 countries, with 2026 expanding into Asia. So yeah, padel’s going global 🌍… and Heineken® 0.0 will be there to make sure nobody goes thirsty while it happens.

Heineken® 0.0 signs global partnership with Premier Padel, marking its debut in the world’s fastest-growing sport

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🐊 Boca Raton Just Got a Glow-Up: Padel X Lands in Paradise (🇺🇸)

Good, tasteful news coming out of Florida, for once! 😂 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. It’s the brand’s second U.S. location, proving that America’s finally grasping the fact that padel is addictive. 🚬

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, don’t 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

🎯 Quick Hits

😬 Priorities, Güey: Congressman Caught Playing Padel Mid-Session (🇲🇽)

As Mexican Congress debated a National Water Law, Cuauhtémoc 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, “Thank you very much,” between forehands. 💀

Fellow lawmakers were quick to notice. One quipped, “You can hear the rackets from here,” while another scolded him to “pay attention, Cuauhtémoc.” Bro didn’t even mute himself… rookie Zoom move for someone who once played in three FIFA World Cups. ⚽

Mexican Congressman Caught Playing Padel Tennis During Online Session

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🤠 Never Thought I’d Be Writing This, But… (🇺🇸)

Giddy up! Of all places, Amarillo, Texas (yes, that city in the middle of the state’s tumbleweed-laden pandhandle), now has two padel courts at the Amarillo National Tennis Center. 😳 If that’s not a testament to how popular this sport has become, I don’t know what is. Parks and Recreation teamed up with the Alex O’Brien Tennis Foundation to make it happen.

Locally-raised tennis legend Alex O’Brien 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 O’Brien predicts the courts will fill up fast. So grab a racket before Amarillo goes from “by morning” to “by every evening.” 🏃‍♂️💨

Amarillo opens first padel courts at National Tennis Center

🤩 Cool Padel Court of the Week

📍 Belgrade, 🇷🇸 at the foot of a 2,300 year old fortress!
More info here!

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For more 🌍 padel content, follow @padelyanqui on Instagram! 🤝 And if you have any feedback or news to share, just respond to this email :)

See you next week & keep smashing those volleys 🎾