The LTA has officially sanctioned the UK PADEL County Championships and aligned the event with its 130-year-old domestic tennis competition structure.
From this year, the UK PADEL County Championships, delivered by UK PADEL co-founders Neil Percival and Nick Baker, will be officially recognised as an LTA Grade 3 event, giving participants the opportunity to earn LTA ranking points.
UK PADEL held its first open-age County Championships in November 2023 and quickly expanded to add O40, O50 and 060s county tournaments. A year and a half on, the LTA has now partnered with UK PADEL and given its endorsement.
In a further boost for organisers and players, an Under-18 junior County Championships will be added to the calendar this year. This will allow Britain’s most promising junior players to represent their counties, further strengthening the junior competition pathway.
The partnership between UK PADEL and the LTA brings padel into line with tennis’s long-standing domestic tournament structure, which has been in existence since LTA started running the Summer County Cup in 1895.
Nick Baker, CEO and co-founder of UK PADEL, said: “The support of LTA will help us elevate the County Championships even further and encourage more counties to participate. UK PADEL is dedicated to grassroots and amateur padel, and this partnership aligns perfectly with the LTA’s padel strategy and its vision of Padel Opened Up, and our vision of making the sport accessible to all ages and abilities.”
As part of the agreement, the LTA will work closely with its local county associations to encourage even broader participation in the County Championships. Counties that have not yet competed will be encouraged to take part, helping to strengthen the competition nationwide.
Tom Murray, LTA Head of Padel, said: “The LTA are thrilled to partner with UK PADEL by sanctioning the County Championships. A key strategy for the LTA is to enhance the padel competition landscape and make it more accessible and appealing for those wanting to compete at grassroots level. By working together with UK PADEL, we can bring the sport to more players, more counties, and more communities across Great Britain.”
The 2025 Championships will take place at Rocket Padel Bristol, with each age category competing on the following dates:
Over 50s – 26-27 April
Over 40s – 21-22 June
Over 60s – 6-7 September
Open – 15-16 November
Under 18s – 29-30 November
Tournament sponsors and partners include padel court provider Hexa, global astroturf provider ACT Sports, temporary building and canopy provider Lauralu, Punchy Drinks who will be the hydration partner for these events, promotional merchandise company Bilko and Head who will provide the official ball of the County Championships in 2025.
