Tia Norton admits the impact of her sensational Pro Padel League triumph – both on her career and on the sport’s profile in Britain – is yet to sink in.
Tia partnered Mexican legend Palila de la Pena during the epic six-week inaugural competition in Tampa, Florida – and the pair’s three-set victory in Sunday’s final set Las Vegas Smash on their way to a 2-0 win over Cancun Waves.
As Tia and her team-mates were handed the trophy by world-famous rapper Daddy Yankee, it felt like a breakthrough moment for padel on both sides of the Atlantic.
Six weeks earlier, 19-year-old Tia had set off on an American odyssey to compete in a totally new tournament, in which she knew no-one, in a country where barely anyone had heard of padel. She admits she had “no idea” what to expect.
Now, back in the UK, the girl from Leamington Spa says the trip “completely exceeded everything I thought it was going to be.”
She tells The Padel Paper: “Honestly, the experience was absolutely incredible and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.
“I thought it would be like any other team event, but it turned out to be a fairytale. We were staying about 30 seconds from the courts, the team was with each other constantly and we became like a family. The atmosphere and environment were amazing.
“The initial focus of the team was getting to the final four to begin with. When we got there and saw the cup, we said, ‘Right, this is it!’ Before each match, we told each other to play with our hearts and leave it all out there on the court. That’s exactly what we did.
“The victory felt so much more special purely because of how close we had all become, and thinking back to that moment still gives me goosebumps every single time. It’s a memory and feeling that will be with me for a long time”.
After landing back in the UK on Monday, Tia barely had time to draw breath before taking part in the second Pro Am Padel Tour event at the National Tennis Centre on Wednesday, playing alongside ex-England netball captain Ama Agbaze.
Tia will need to get used to rubbing shoulders with celebrities. Her Pro Padel League victory and the growing buzz around padel has landed her some very high-profile media appointments and public appearances in the coming days (watch this space!).
In Florida, she admits to being “a little star-struck” by rapper Daddy Yankee – best known for his hits Gasolina and Despacito – who attended the first weekend and finals day.
During one of her matches, a ball flew out of court and Daddy Yankee caught it in the crowd. “My partner shouted out, ‘Daddy!’ and he smiled. That was quite an iconic moment,” she chuckles.
When we speak, Tia is enjoying a well-earned day off and says she’ll need “a few more” to reassimilate to normal life. “Honestly, I couldn’t even tell you when my next event is,” she said. “I haven’t even looked at the calendar yet!”
She will definitely defend her title at the FIP Rise London Padel Open in August. Before then, the magnitude of her Florida adventure may become clearer.
“It hasn’t really sunk in,” she admits. “The extent to which things could change off the back of this hasn’t really hit me yet. We’ll see what comes of it but hopefully it does spark something. Maybe this is a boost factor for the game in the UK – we’ll soon find out.
“It has been a huge learning experience for me, playing with World Padel Tour players. I have learned so much and my padel game has changed completely. I’m looking at taking everything I’ve learned in Florida and putting it into all my World Padel Tour and FIP circuit events.
“It’s a nice victory and a big milestone, but there’s plenty more things to achieve. I’m pretty level-headed and I’ll soon be back to training and working hard towards my goals.”
