Padel Magazine - The WPT in Portugal: It's now that it's happening. This Monday, the Lisbon International Open finally begins. This is the fourteenth of the season and the first to take place outside of Spain.

61 pairs participate in this Open. This tournament was born thanks to the municipality which had built a first field of padel few years ago. Then was born the snowshoe center of Lisbon with padel in sports offers.

It will be necessary to wait until tomorrow to know the eight pairs qualified for the final stages.

Several local pairs have decided to give a hard time against the Spanish-speaking pairs… Pierre Plantier and Tiago Santos, Miguel Oliveira and Joao Bastos, Joao Diogo Rocha and Roque, are trying to compete with the big stars of this sport. We will be a little more tomorrow.

La padel in Portugal grew at a slower pace than in Spain. It is estimated that there are currently around 80 padel and five thousand practitioners in total.

According to recent data, there are just over fifty clubs of padel in Portugal and it is estimated that there are around 300 licensees. The Portuguese federation chaired by Ricardo Oliveira is doing its utmost to develop this sport. But there is still a lot of work to make up for the accumulated delay against its Spanish neighbor.

The WPT is highly anticipated in Portugal because we hope through this global event, to develop the sport and bring new players.

Le World Padel Tour has started its international expansion and, for now, seems to be reaching its goal. The imminent arrival of the best players in the world on the land of Lusas has sparked many reactions in the world of padel but not only.

Since then, the media has shown great interest, articles and news about the Lisbon International Open are daily. On the spot, Portuguese fans are delighted at the prospect of being able to follow their idols, while those who do not know are likely to be dazzled by the show.

The tournament will therefore take place in the magnificent facilities of the Club Racket Center in Lisbon.

This sport "has just arrived" in Portugal, where only 80 tracks count and a little more practicing 5000. Therefore, the arrival of the best players in the world, will create an important impetus for the young Portuguese Federation.

For now, the public response has been very positive. If the local pairs have been swept swiftly in the qualifying stages, the public is responding, and ticket sales are important.

On Tuesday 8 October, there will be a presentation of the best players in the world and the last lap of the qualifying stages before the finals.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.

On the same subject