A host of Portuguese talent in Lisbon. Cristiano Ronaldo: “Great tournament to everyone”

Football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has never hidden his passion for padel: in a recent interview, he said that when he leaves football, he wants to dedicate more time to the sport. In recent years, he has been a guest at Premier Padel tournaments on several occasions, while in September 2024 he trained with Arturo Coello, the No. 1 player in the FIP Ranking, in Madrid. This week, Cristiano Ronaldo’s name will once again be linked with padel, as his club in Lisbon will host a CUPRA FIP Tour event: the FIP Silver Lisboa Padel Racket Centre by Ava CR7. “Great tournament to everyone” was the message posted by the star on social media on the eve of the tournament.

 

In the men’s draw, there is a pair who won the FIP Bronze Madeira in February, held in Funchal, the city on the island where Cristiano Ronaldo was born. They are home players Pedro Araujo and Pedro Graça (2), who arrive in Lisbon aiming to claim their third title of the year in Portugal: after their triumph in Madeira, they also won the FIP Bronze Portimao. Araujo and Graça competed at the Mediterranean Games in Taranto: Araujo won the mixed gold medal alongside his sister Sofia. There is plenty of home-grown talent, with 26 women and 25 men ready to take centre stage in Lisbon: from Pedro Perry, partnering recent FIP Silver Cordoba winner Jaume Romera, to the Diogo Jesus-Antonio Luque duo, as well as Portuguese No. 1 Clarinha Santos in the women’s draw.

 

Among those entered in Lisbon is the player who won the bronze medal at the Mediterranean Games: Marco Cassetta. The Italian is the No. 1 seed alongside Fabian Oviedo, with whom he has won the FIP Silver Jersey Island (United Kingdom) and the FIP Bronze Lelystad (Netherlands) over the past two months. Should he win this tournament, Cassetta would move to the top of the all-time CUPRA FIP Tour wins list with 17 titles (he currently shares the record with Flavio Abbate, Gonzalo Rubio and Jose Luis Gonzalez). Also in the spotlight are Iago Fuertes-Dani Luna (4).

 

Spanish pair Amanda Lopez-Camila Fassio, ranked No. 51 and No. 65 respectively in the FIP Ranking, lead the women’s draw. The pair reached the last 32 at the Premier Padel P1 in Madrid and, at the end of August, claimed the FIP Bronze Madrid title. Their main rivals for the title are Maria Teresa Moriñigo-Blanca Cerrejon (2). Also in contention are Portuguese player Santos, who will compete alongside Lucia Parra as the No. 3 seed, and Ivet Val Lopez and Louise Bahurel, who won the bronze medal in the mixed event at the Mediterranean Games.

 

The tournament’s main draw will begin on Thursday 10 September and conclude on Saturday 12 September, when the semi-finals and finals will be played.