The Seychelles Padel Society celebrated one year since it inaugurated the first padel court on Mahe, the main island, with a tournament, that featured locals and international players.
Over 15 participants, both men and women, competed over three days and the first rounds took place on the padel court at the Labriz Gastrolounge in the northern Mahe district of Bel Ombre.
The final was held on December 30 at the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa on Silhouette Island.
Padel, sometimes called padel tennis, is a racket sport of Mexican origin, typically played in doubles on an enclosed court slightly smaller than a doubles tennis court.
Although padel shares the same scoring system as tennis, the rules, strokes, and technique are different.
The 'Padelversary' Tournament welcomed esteemed international players, such as Beatriz González Fernández, currently ranked 4th in the individual World Padel Tour standings. She arrived fresh from victories at the Milano Premier Padel competition and the Boss Barcelona Master Final.
Joining her was María Del Carmen Villalba Sánchez, ranked 45th.
Also present at the competition was Spanish Jorge de Benito, sports director at the prestigious M3 Padel Academy alongside Nacho Búrdalo Rubio, general director of the Alba Galán Padel school in Cáceres.
Etienne Venter won the Grand Prize, which was a dream trip to the Maldives.
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Ashleigh Venter claimed the first prize in the women's category and won a stay at Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts.
The winner of the second prize was Jonas Dewals who got a stay at the soon-to-open luxury Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island resort and Sebastian Wadeson clinched the third prize, entitling him to a stay at Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa.
The winners of the tournament received unique trophies, crafted from wood and fashioned in the shape of a padel racket at the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa. The trophies had the engraved signature heat drawings of Seychellois artist Richard Assary.
Andre Borg, general manager for Hilton Labriz Seychelles, said, "The Padelversary Tournament embodies our commitment to making padel accessible to all, fostering community engagement, and empowering Seychellois youth. This celebration is a testament to the transformative power of sports in our community, emphasizing inclusivity and the shared joy of athletic achievement."
While the sport is rapidly growing internationally, it is hoped that such tournaments, with some of the world's top players competing, will encourage more local participants.
Programmes are being offered for memberships at the Labriz Gastrolounge. These include adults, children aged 12, family, buddy - for two people - and corporate for 10 adults.
