Andy Murray was already looking forward to the next Hexagon Cup after his Team AD/Vantage emerged victorious in the star-studded first ever edition of the event in Madrid last weekend.
The inaugural tournament featured six teams made up of three couples, male, female, and Next Gen stars of the future, who all competed for a share of a one-million euro prize fund. As well as Murray, other team owners included Rafael Nadal, Eva Longoria and Robert Lewandowski, while the player roster was the world’s very best.
The five-day competition, which took place in Madrid Arena’s centre court, saw the six teams do battle in a series of round robin qualification rounds, and the weekend’s knock-out semi-finals, ahead the final showdown event which also saw Team AD/Vantage’s female and male pairs take victory in their categories.
The AD/vantage team, which counts male and female world number three Martin Di Nenno and Delfi Brea, as well as Juan Tello and Sofia Araujo, with rising stars Pol Hernández and Pablo Garcia as its Next Gen players, topped the overall table with 67 points, 19 points ahead of Robert Lewandowski’s RL9 team, which took second spot in the overall team competition, including victory in the Next Gen category.
“To be part of the first Hexagon Cup and witness our AD/Vantage come out on top as the first team winners, makes me feel incredibly proud of the whole team,” said Murray.
“Padel is an exciting and dynamic sport. I’m thrilled to contribute to the growth of padel and look forward to more exciting tournaments in the future.”
Murray partnered with investor Arran Yentob and Dani Vallverdu, founders of AD Global Sports as Co-Owners of Team AD/vantage. AD Global Sports was set up to invest in the development of sports in the UK and globally.
The partnership reunited Dani Vallverdú with Murray, whom he coached from 2010 to 2014, during which time Murray won his first Olympic gold medal at London 2012, two Grand Slams at the 2012 US Open and the 2013 Wimbledon Championships.
Co-Owner of Team AD/vantage and founder of AD Global Sports, Arran Yentob, expressed his pride in the team’s achievement: “What an achievement and what a team. Winning the Hexagon Cup, and in such style, we are so proud of the whole of Team AD/Vantage. They each pushed each other along in a rollercoaster ride, in a special experience and event. The start of more to come for Team AD/Vantage – and the expansion of the the sport globally.”
Enrique Buenaventura, founder of the Hexagon Cup, shared his satisfaction: “Our goal with the Hexagon Cup was to create an event which transformed the padel experience for fans, the players and the game. The feedback across the board has been overwhelmingly positive so it’s been a huge success.”
Eva Longoria, the award-winning actress, Emmy-nominated director, producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and activist, and owner of the Hexagon Cup’s Eleven Eleven Team USA entry, was in Madrid to cheer on her team, whose Nex Gen pairing made it to the Finals.
“Hexagon Cup is an amazing competition. I love the atmosphere it has created that mixes talent, rivalry, camaraderie, inclusivity and equality,” said Longoria. “In fact, one of the characteristics I like the most is precisely this desire to strengthen the female figure in the world of sports and to have great women involved in the tournament. That’s why, when I was presented with the opportunity to be part of this tournament, I didn’t hesitate and it was very easy for me to say yes.”
