The Pro Am Padel Tour once again brought the cream of padel together with the gliterrati of sport and entertainment as Rocket Padel Ilford hosted the second event of 2024.
GB women’s no.1 Tia Norton, no.2 Aimee Gibson and British men’s no.3 Louie Harris led the charge alongside the country’s rising stars, teenage brother and sister duo Liam (15) and Chloe de le Mare (14), and international players including Rafa Vega.
Adding to the buzz, high-profile names from the sporting world and beyond joined the action. Mark Foster (five-time Olympian, BBC presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star), Matty Lee (Olympic gold medallist and I’m a Celebrity star), Daniel Goodfellow (Olympic diver), Casey O’Gorman (ITV Love Island All Stars), Jeff Brazier (TV personality), Jody Morris (former England and Chelsea midfielder), Freya Davies (England cricketer), Frankie Hall (elite cyclist), Laura Wright (singer who is a regular feature at sporting and royal events) and Natasha Hunt (World Cup winner with England rugby) all took to the court to showcase their skills.
CUPRA Tribe ambassador Jon Sanz (world no.17) also flew in from Spain to lead an exhibition match.
Aimee Gibson and Natasha Hunt won the women’s pro exhibition tournament whilst Ethan Bardo and Casey O’Gorman took the men’s title. Jody Morris and Freya Davies were awarded MVP.
Mark Foster, said: “This was my first time playing padel. I really enjoyed it. Tennis courts can often feel quite daunting and you spend a load of time collecting balls, but padel is really social.”
Olympic Team GB diver Daniel Goodfellow added: “I like how inclusive padel is. A lot of sports are hard on your body but I love how social it is. It has a nice competitive side as well. It’s really, really addictive. From the first time I played it I just wanted to keep coming back.” added .
Finally, Matty Lee MBE, British diver and Olympic gold medallist said, “I don’t really play team sports but for me padel is so much fun and a great way to meet new people. The sport is exploding and I want to be part of the movement.”
Padel’s most promising next-gen talent, brother and sister duo Liam and Chloe De La Mare from Guernsey showcased their skills by headlining in a Next-Gen Exhibition. Aged just 14 and 15, they’re already outperforming many top adult players in the UK. Liam is ranked U18 – No 3 and U16 – No 1 whilst his sister is ranked U18, U16, U14 – No 1.
The day wasn’t just about competition. The Pro Am Padel Tour launched a partnership with BADU Sports – an award-winning East London sports coaching and mentoring organisation. The initiative aims to expand access to the sport with the Tour providing BADU coaches, sports development teams, and volunteers with court time, coaching, and equipment. This empowers them to introduce padel to local communities and develop the skills of young people from black and global majority backgrounds.
Public taster sessions including Women’s Hour were a huge hit, allowing newcomers to experience the fast-paced fun of padel for themselves.
The Pro Am Padel held its maiden tour in 2023, seeing the likes of Chris Robshaw, John Terry, Jos Buttler, Danni Wyatt, Sam Billings, Carly Telford, Michael Vaughan, Bobby Zamora and Aimee Fuller take to padel courts at some of the UK’s leading padel venues.
The tour’s official automotive partner, CUPRA, has been involved in the sport since 2019. Globally, CUPRA has partnerships with several elite organisations including International Padel Federation, CUPRA FIP Tour, and Premier Padel. From grassroots to professional level, the brand is dedicated to shaping the sport’s future with a clear goal to propel the international evolution of padel.
Celebrity attendees were gifted goody bags that included padel racket and balls by NOX, a £100 Padel Shack voucher, and a Bamford Watch Department watch case.
The Pro Am Padel Tour 2024 continues in Manchester (September) and Derby (November).
