Latest news with #SouthAfricanPadelInvitational
IOL News
24-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
The Hangout: Padel fever hits SA as global stars are ready to shine at SA Invitational
You might be surprised to learn that padel didn't actually begin in Spain, as many people assume. By people I mean me and I also thought it's probably only been around for maybe five or ten years. Yes, I know I need to brush up on my sports knowledge a bit. In fact, the sport was born in Mexico in 1969, thanks to the inventive Enrique Corcuera, who decided to blend elements of tennis and squash into something completely new. Spain quickly embraced it in the 1970s, but curiously, South Africa only really caught the padel bug around three years ago. Since then, the sport has taken off like wildfire across the country. South Africa is also about to host one of its biggest padel events yet. The 360 Padel/Gayle- SA Invitational is coming to the beautiful DP World Wanderers Stadium this August, bringing none other than World Number One champions Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia to our shores. This star-studded event promises to be nothing short of spectacular. Earlier this month, an exclusive media launch for the South African Padel Invitational gathered press and insiders for a sneak peek into what fans can expect. There was plenty of buzz around the sport's growth, with conversations centred on making padel more accessible across all communities and even early whispers of female international champions potentially joining future tournaments. Adding to the excitement is a bold new team-based format that will shake things up. Twelve top players will be split into two squads: Team Lebron and Team Galán, each led by the superstar captains themselves. Over the course of three thrilling days, spectators will be treated to electrifying matches as players are reshuffled for each game. Expect surprising partnerships, fierce rivalries and world-class action at every turn. 'This isn't just a tournament - it's a celebration of padel's arrival on the African mainstage,' says Sarfraz Bismilla, spokesperson for the South African Invitational. 'We're bringing the world's biggest names to one of the most iconic venues in the country and giving local fans an unforgettable experience.' Match Highlights Not to be Missed: Friday: Galán vs Lebron – The opening night's match of the day Saturday: Coello vs Tapia – A fierce rivalry redefined Sunday: Galán and Coello vs Tapia and Lebron – The ultimate showdown Whether you're a padel enthusiast or just a little curious, this is one event you won't want to miss. Grab your tickets and more info at and prepare for a weekend of pure sporting magic.
Eyewitness News
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
South African Padel invitational draws elite players to Johannesburg
JOHANNESBURG - August will see the best padel players gracing the shores of South Africa to compete at the South African Padel Invitational. The 360 Padel | Gayle – South African Invitational tournament will happen 15 – 17 August 2025 at DP World Wanderers Stadium. 'We want to put South Africa on the map globally. We want South Africa to be taken seriously as an international paddle destination, having recently attended the world pedal summit in Barcelona, and looking at the growth of other countries, you know, the UK, the US, our market seems more enthusiastic than those markets, and they seem to have more of the limelight' said Mohammed Majan from 360 PaddleSA. Majan tells Eyewitness News he, along with the other organisers, wants South Africa to be taken seriously as a paddle playing nation. 'We know as a nation, we always punch above our weight, whether it's in cricket, whether it's rugby, in athletics, you know, in soccer, we're getting there as well. We always want to punch above our weight, and we want to do the same thing with paddle and that's why we've chosen the venue (at DP World Wanderers Stadium), and that's why we've gone so big with this event, to show that we really want to be taken seriously on the sporting front.' The 3-day tournament will feature South Africa's top 12 teams (24 players) who will compete in their own prize pool as the curtain-raiser to the main global event. 'We have over 1000 courts across the country, we have over 250,000 players registered on the Playtomic app in South Africa, of which around 80,000 are considered to be active players, meaning they play at least one to two games a week' said Majan. 'At 360 we try to bring all the best players together. We've launched what's called the diamond League, where we've taken some of the best, I would say, 90% of the best players in the country, and we've put them together in a in a league which runs for over two months, where we give them the best place to compete against each other, week in and week out.' The top players in the world from Spain and Argentina, like Agustin Tapia, Arturo Coello, Juan Lebron, Ale Galán, Fernando Belasteguín will compete against each other. One of the players heading to South Africa is world number one in WPT (World Padel Tour), Argentinian Fernando 'Bela' Belasteguín. At age 22 Bela was the youngest player in the world to reach No. 1. Padel pair Juan Martin Diaz and Fernando Belasteguín were the only pair in history to spend 1 year 9 months undefeated, winning 22 consecutive tournaments (September 2005 to May 2007). They were also the only pair to hold the No. 1 world ranking for 13 years and to win 170 tournaments. 'We have Richard Ashforth and Egmond Van Heerden, who just broke into the world 500 recently. So they in the late four hundreds currently in the world rankings. We have a handful of players who have official FIP (International Padel Federation) ratings. So we have a handful of players who played in international tournaments and have now got a ranking. Our best players are currently 400 odd, you know, in the world. So it shows you the gap. But our players are actually moving really quickly in the right direction.' The 360 Padel | Gayle – South African Invitational promises to bring family fun with meet and greets, giveaways and a screen to watch rugby to activations, food stalls, giveaways, entertainment and more.
The Citizen
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
SA Padel Invitational brings padel's biggest stars to SA shores
South Africa is swinging open the doors to the world of padel with its first-ever South African Padel Invitational, a milestone the organisers say will inspire a new generation of local players. Announced at an exclusive launch event on July 10 at Wanderers, the invitational will see 12 of the world's top-ranked padel players competing on local courts over five weeks, giving fans rare front-row access to the fast-growing sport. Mohammed Saloojee, from the SA Padel Invitational organising committee, said: 'Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we launch the South African Invitational, for the first time on the African continent.' Also read: Discovery Padel Courts hosts exciting event for padel beginners He added that they are bringing Artur Oruelo, Augustin Tapia, and 17-time world champion Fernando 'Bela' Belasteguín, among other superstars. 'This is more than just a tournament; it's a statement that we belong on the world stage.' Padel, which combines elements of tennis and squash, is one of the world's fastest-growing sports, with a diverse player base in South Africa. Sarfraz Bismilla pointed out that it is fantastic that they have got children as young as 14 playing with adults in their late 60s. 'The age group averages about 32, almost evenly split between men and women. It breaks the boundaries we see in other sports.' Also read: Padel sport launched at Morningside Country Club The invitational will run like a mini-world cup, with group stages, nail-biting quarterfinals, and a high-stakes final. Fans can tune in via livestream to put their questions directly to the stars. Mohammed Majam, also on the organising team, said choosing a venue large enough was a challenge. 'There was no indoor venue that could hold this, so, it's an honour to host it on the sacred grounds of our biggest local facility. This isn't just about sport; it's a weekend festival with DJs, entertainment, and the world's best padel talent.' Event details: August 15 to 17 at the DP World Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
