Roper-Släryd win in Mol, Northern Europe’s young talents shine

A young partnership bringing together two players who embody the growth of their respective federations. In Mol, Belgium, 21-year-old Dutchman Thijs Roper and 19-year-old Swede Willy Släryd celebrated victory at the FIP Bronze R3 Bullpadel Cup. Roper and Släryd, who represented their respective national teams at last year’s FIP Euro Padel Cup, completed a perfect weekend, defeating fourth seeds Marcos Cordoba and Alejandro Calvo in the quarter-finals before overcoming the tournament favourites, Simone Cremona and Jaume Romera, in the semi-finals. In the final, the pair dominated another Swede, Douglas Rutgersson, who was playing alongside Spaniard Sergio Nieto, winning 6-3 6-2.

For Roper and Släryd, it was their first title together, following their runner-up finishes at the FIP Bronze events in Astorga and Lelystad. The Dutchman returns to international success after winning his first CUPRA FIP Tour title in 2024, while for the Swede it is his third victory, following his two FIP Bronze titles in Bangalore and Jonkoping last October.