“The Padel of Two Worlds” FIP, Carraro: “FIP Euro Padel Cup and FIP Asia Padel Cup happening at the same time show the global growth of padel”

Someone called it “the Padel of two worlds.” In the same week, two big continental competitions are taking place in Asia and Europe: the Final 8 of the FIP Euro Padel Cup and the FIP Asia Padel Cup. It’s like a “world meeting” of our sport, with three continents involved. On one side, the best European countries; on the other, the best from Asia and Oceania for the FIP Asia Padel Cup. “The expression ‘Padel of two worlds’ is beautiful,” said Luigi Carraro, President of FIP. “It’s a nice journalistic phrase and shows that we are facing two major continental events. But we must never forget that sport, and therefore padel, is one and the same for everyone in the world. Our only borders are the lines on the court during a match. Every padel player, professional or amateur, lives this passion without limits — in friendship, cultural exchange, inclusion, and fair play.” Still, padel stands out for being played at the same time in Qatar and Spain with two big national team tournaments. The “Padel of two worlds,” indeed: “It would have been incredible to imagine just a few years ago. In Asia, we had 31 teams representing 17 countries from Asia and Oceania, fighting to reach the Final 8 of 16 teams. In Europe, we had to change the tournament format to allow 37 countries to take part, with 68 teams (men and women). This means about 100 national teams from three continents and 54 countries were competing at the same time in two major continental events. If I had said this five years ago, who would have believed me?” smiles Carraro. There is pride in seeing how padel continues to grow: “Many people around the world have helped. FIP is the global leader of our sport, but like in everything that works, everyone must contribute — athletes, officials, coaches, fans, and amateurs.” Special mention goes to the national federations that lead the FIP Euro Padel Cup and the FIP Asia Padel Cup: “These two big competitions show the constant work of national federations,” says Carraro. “In team tournaments, they find real satisfaction and a sense of achievement. Padel keeps expanding worldwide: it’s now played in about 140 countries, and we have 87 federations in FIP, with many new nations ready to join soon.” He ends with a thought about the sport’s future and its biggest dream: “People often ask me what padel must do to become an Olympic sport. The answer is very simple: keep working with the same seriousness and passion that made padel a truly global sport.”