Coronation Street stars Ryan Thomas and Richard Fleeshman were among the competitors at last weekend’s OLA Padel tournament at Imber Court in London.
The event was the 10th organised by OLA Padel (including their recent competition at the National Tennis Centre in partnership with All Court Tennis) and saw 20 pairs play in four groups of five, switching up partners in each match, followed by quarters, semis and a closely fought final.
Ryan (pictured above), who played Jason Grimshaw on Corrie for 16 years and won Celebrity Big Brother last year, said: “OLA instantly makes you feel part of their family and community. They show support, kindness and knowledge of the game that I now love.
“It helps keeping fit physically and mentally and socialising with new groups of great people who all share a common passion for padel. We walked away feeling uplifted! OLA is so much more than just a sports club.”
Richard (pictured above with competitor Ellie Jaffa) was a child star on the famous cobbles of the ITV soap opera and has since become a singer and West End actor. After the tournament, he said: “I had such a wonderful time playing in OLA’s padel tournament. They organised a fantastic day bringing together lovely, like-minded people for a great event! We can’t wait for the next one.”
OLD Padel co-founder Jack Carpenter added: “Richard and Ryan slotted right into the OLA culture, their energy was infectious and padel skills improved as the day went on.
“They are ones to watch on the OLA padel circuit. They both definitely have the potential to be lifting an OLA trophy in the not too distant future!”
The winners were Craig de Silva (a maths and physics tutor who has previously worn the GB padel jersey) and Natasha Marks (Octagon Sports Agent and junior tennis star).
They took home Varion bats and Nox bags, courtesy of event sponsors The Padel Company. Craig professed the event to be the “perfect blend of great padel and a fun atmosphere” while Natasha was thrilled to be the first female winner since the organisation’s inception in June last year.
Runners up Ed Tandy (tennis coach at Putney Lawn Tennis CLub) and Luke Warriner (director of sport at St Paul’s School in London) received printed summer shirts donated by Rewound, a sustainable fashion brand founded by Ellie Jaffa (who was an entrant in the competition).
After the post-padel socials in the bar at Imber Court, co-founder Georgie Barclay said: “This is what OLA is all about – bringing like-minded people together to share their passion for padel. The community feel was very real and I felt lucky to be part of it.”
Images: Alan Kugelmass (@Ziggyq_)
