By Rafiq Vayani
DUBAI: Dubai Premier Padel P1, part of the newly unified 25-tournament season spanning 18 countries across five continents, will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, the organisers have announced.
The event will be held at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium and feature the world’s best players. Organised by Gallop Global, the event will feature 256 players in separate formats for male and female pairs. The accumulated prize pool for both categories is 470,000 euros (Dh1.89 million).
Dubai Premier Padel P1 is coming to Dubai for the first time, following a multi-year hosting agreement between the UAE Padel Association (UAEPA), the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai Sports Council (DSC), Premier Padel, and Dubai-based Gallop Global.
“The support of the inaugural Dubai Premier Padel P1 from His Highness Sheikh Mansoor will be a significant motivating factor in organising more events in the country,” said Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, UAEPA President. “Since the sport’s formal introduction to the UAE in 2013, the UAE leadership has supported various padel events, as well as other events that followed in subsequent years.”
“For example, the World Padel Championship, hosted by Dubai in 2022, was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai. We thank the leaders for their invaluable support, which has led to the development of the sport in the emirate, as evidenced by the constantly growing infrastructure in line with the sport’s popularity over the years.”
His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Hareb, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council, added: “We have witnessed tremendous development and growth of padel in the UAE in general, and Dubai in particular, in terms of the number of practitioners and courts, as well as the organisation of international tournaments, attracting top-ranked players in the world. This reflects the hard work of the UAE Padel Federation, headed by Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, UAEPA President, and showcases the efforts to spread padel culture and the numerous benefits of playing the sport.”
“Dubai Premier Padel P1 will provide fans with a new opportunity to witness intense, world-class competition as it will feature 256 male and female players from around the world, at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, which also hosted the largest edition of the World Padel Championship in 2022.”
“We extend our sincere gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his generous patronage of the Dubai Premier Padel P1. This event plays a pivotal role in the growth of the padel community, not just in Dubai but also on a global scale, while also cementing Dubai’s position as a global hub for sports and events. Bringing world-class players to Dubai will also serve as a further catalyst for the growth of the sport and the emirate.”
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) said: “Dubai’s wise leadership has always been keen to support major international sporting events in line with their vision to solidify the city’s reputation as a global hub for premier sporting events and the world’s leading city to live, work, and visit. We are grateful to His Highness Sheikh Mansoor for his patronage of the Dubai Premier Padel P1, the biggest padel event ever held in the emirate. We are looking forward to seeing the world’s best athletes and fans descending upon Dubai in November.”
Ivan Modia, Dubai Premier Padel P1 Tournament Director and CEO of Gallop Global, added: “The patronage of His Highness underscores the limitless support of the UAE’s visionary leadership to the sports sector in the UAE and its commitment to bringing world-class events to the Emirates. With this event, we expect to stimulate the development of padel infrastructure in the emirate and beyond as increased investment in courts and facilities will make the sport more accessible to more people and further help its growth and popularity.”
Padel in the UAE is governed by the UAEPA, which was founded in 2014 and is one of the first padel federations in Asia to be established. It has been affiliated with the International Padel Federation (FIP) since 2016. In 2014, the General Authority of Sports decreed the official recognition of padel as a sport with the Government’s full support. Today, the UAE is home to 30 per cent of padel courts in Asia and two per cent of all courts worldwide.
Dubai continues to grow as a leading destination for top-tier global sports competitions, bringing together leading sports professionals in diverse disciplines from around the world and creating a unique hub for sporting excellence. Adding the Dubai Premier Padel P1 to the ever-growing list of events also proves the city is keeping pace with global trends.
Tickets for the week-long tournament are on sale now at PlatinumList.net, priced from Dh48. For more information visit dubaipremierpadel.ae.
