For almost a month, the new spokesperson for the World Padel Tour, the vice-president of the WPT Alex Corretja, promised us a revolution for the circuit financed by Estrella Damm.

He even explained that World Padel Tour would evolve in the direction of what the players want. Thanks to the newspaper Brand, we know a little more today about the new formula of the circuit .

With the end of exclusivity, the increase in prize money and bonuses for the top ranked, has the WPT won its bet?

A presentation without the main stakeholders

First, note that the World Padel Tour failed to fill the podium. PPA was not bluffing: no, the players did not come en masse to listen to the WPT proposals presented by one of the icons of Spanish sport, Alex Corretja.

Like Pablo Lijo, the players are still very angry with the circuit…

Pablo Lijo: “Serving the WPT like slaves”

Only Sanyo Gutiérrez, who recently declared that the WPT was still the reference circuit, was present. Like Lijo, the other members of PPA do not forgive the World Padel Tour the lawsuits brought against those who have violated the exclusivity clause… a clause which, by the way, disappears in the new version of the WPT.

End of exclusivity, did the WPT have a choice?

Le World Padel Tour announces the end of exclusivity. It's not really surprising. Moreover, Alex Corretja had already implied his opinion on this matter.

Finally, we say to ourselves that the WPT had no other choice than to abandon this clause given the difficulties in enforcing it, as we saw with the case Miguel Oliveira. Especially since the players, who wish to be able to participate in other tournaments, whether they are stamped Premier Padel or APT Padel Tour, were very annoyed by this clause.

The WPT, on the other hand, caused a sensation by announcing that players who supported the new version of the circuit would see  the charges dropped . We will see if “this carrot” will bear fruit or if it will even more annoy the players who would have liked the circuit to reverse its decision automatically, without compensation…

The WPT does not win its case against Miguel Oliveira!

Four padel events that change names

Le World Padel Tour has changed the name of its tournaments. Why ? Hard to know. See for yourself

  • The Master Final becomes the World Masters Final
  • Master becomes Big
  • Open becomes Open 300 (men only) Open 150 (women only)
  • Challenger becomes Open 100 (men) Open 60 (women)

The new prize money

The prize money will be as follows:

  • World Masters Final: €500.000 (ladies and gentlemen)
  • Big: €600.000 (men) / €300.000 (women)
  • Open 300: €300.000 (men)
  • Open 150: €150.000 (ladies)
  • Open 100: €100.000 (men)
    Open 60: €60.000 (ladies)

There is a substantial increase compared to what is offered today on this circuit. The WPT, which advocated ladies/gents financial equity, this time favored the gentlemen.

Bonuses for players who accept

The first 30 players on the circuit who have accepted this new formula will be able to claim to share €500.000 / year.

Players will also be required to compete in at least 15 WPT events.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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