EFE’s interview with FIP President Luigi Carraro: “Padel at the Caja Mágica, a legendary venue like Roland Garros and Foro Italico. Global brands are investing in Padel, and the Star Point will make it even more exciting”

The Generali Hexagon Cup at the Caja Mágica provided the opportunity for an extensive interview by EFE —released today for subscriber-only media— one of Spain’s most important and widely distributed news agencies, with FIP President Luigi Carraro. The interview covered the most current topics regarding the present and future of Padel. Here is an excerpt.

HEXAGON WORLD SERIES Carraro’s first reflections focused on the Hexagon Cup, which is about to become the Hexagon World Series, the official team circuit of the International Padel Federation, in collaboration with Hexagon Cup and Agencia 54. “It’s a team competition, and the audience enjoys this type of tournament because it offers a different experience. Hexagon Cup will become the Hexagon World Series — exactly what was missing.” Carraro added: “I also want to highlight that Padel is played at Madrid’s Caja Mágica, a legendary venue. This is a major milestone for the players participating in the Hexagon Cup, comparable to Major tournaments at iconic sports venues like Roland Garros or Foro Italico.”

CALENDAR Carlos Pérez from EFE then asked Carraro whether the calendar might be reaching its limit: “A year has 52 weeks, and we have 30–32 weeks of professional competitions. I would say that around all this there is a world to carefully follow and seize any opportunities that may arise.” A world in constant expansion, governed by the FIP: “Today the International Padel Federation is very proud to oversee the ‘pyramid’ of Padel, in close collaboration with its partners including Hexagon Cup, Premier Padel, and the national federations. At the top of this pyramid are not only the World Championships but also Premier Padel and Hexagon World Series. Then there’s the CUPRA FIP Tour circuit, with over 300 tournaments in more than 60 countries.”

THE TOURS Carraro also addressed EFE’s question about the strategic importance of the CUPRA FIP Tour for growing Padel: “It’s essential for young players to develop and for players worldwide to compete and aim for Premier Padel tournaments, a World Championship, or the Hexagon Cup. Then we have the FIP Promises circuit, for Under 12, Under 14, Under 16, and Under 18 — the stars of tomorrow. Soon we will launch the new global amateur circuit, FIP Beyond, starting in April. It targets 35 million Padel players worldwide, and we want those 35 million to become 50 million in five years.” Reflecting on the start of the season and the Premier Padel circuit, Carraro said: “Our priority is to allow the best players in the world to perform at their best, in ideal conditions and fantastic venues. Here’s one example: this year, thinking of the players’ interests, around 75% of Premier Padel tournaments will be played indoors; in the first year it was 50%.”

LEGENDARY VENUES AND GLOBAL BRANDS Carraro emphasized how quickly the world of Padel has evolved and how perceptions of the sport have changed: “Yes. In recent weeks, major global brands have decided to invest in Padel, in the circuits, and especially in the players. Why? Because the players are amazing, but also because they compete in the Premier Padel circuit at legendary venues that give brands high value in terms of visibility, style, and elegance — places like Acapulco, Doha, Caja Mágica, Foro Italico, or Roland Garros — and I could go on.”

STAR POINT Attention was also given to one of the big novelties of the new season, the Star Point: “We have observed the evolution of the game and acted accordingly. The Star Point, after two advantages, is the best solution to combine the needs of Padel, television, and the necessary innovation.”

OLYMPICS The interview concluded with the “Great Dream,” the Olympics, just hours before the start of the Milan-Cortina Games: “Today, Padel meets all the Olympic requirements: global reach, men and women, anti-doping controls, media visibility. We work every day to make Padel an Olympic sport.”