I was fortunate enough to attend the Hexagon Cup in February this year in Madrid and it was seriously impressive. In the lead up to the event, there was uncertainty if this would be a successful event, if it would be hyped up too much and not deliver, and if the concept simply wouldn’t work.

But I’m glad to say it did work. And I’m even happier to say it’s exactly what the sport of padel needed, and will continue to need moving forwards to grow.

The Event

Four celebrities including Andy Murray, Eva Longoria and Rafael Nadal backed a star-studded padel team each with the top players in the world playing for the winner’s title. The event was very well put together with a iconic purple turfed court that looked amazing on television, as well as in-person. As we’ve come to expect from padel events worldwide, the atmosphere was filled with passion, positivity and awe at the level of padel on show.

Plus, with the players coming to the end of their pre-season training, the matches were far from ‘exhibition’ style. These players wanted to win and were competing as hard as they do on the tour – something the crowd loved to watch!

Why Padel Need More Events Like This

I really hope for the sport this is the first of many Hexagon Cup events. Whilst the event drew spectators from not only Spain, but all over the world, it also was televised in multiple countries, including in the UK on one of the most popular free-view channels. I can’t emphasise enough how good this is for the awareness of the sport in emerging padel countries. The more people are aware of the sport, the more they will try picking up a racket and playing. And as us padel players know, once you try the sport, you can’t wait to play again!

There is talk of them doing another Hexagon Cup in a different location this year and I really hope that goes ahead. It would be great for the players, the fans and the sport as a whole.

Should Emerging Padel Markets Host Similar Events?

This is a great question. It’s one thing to televise the event in emerging markets and raise awareness which I think is great. But it’s another thing to host an event like this in a padel market where participation is still relatively low compared to other sports and there are still so few courts per person. Take the UK for example. Whilst I think raising awareness through televising the sport is a great step forward, hosting an event like the Hexagon Cup right now at one of the big arenas in London might be a step too far in terms of filling seats. The sport is not quite there yet…give it a few years still.

However, take a country like the Netherlands. The sport is booming there with so many clubs popping up and huge uptake of the sport nationally. Hosting a Hexagon Cup in Amsterdam for example would in my opinion be a great move and an important step for growth in emerging padel markets.

Make Sure You Watch The Pros This Year

If you haven’t watched professional padel matches live yet, I suggest you make 2024 the year you watch it! It’s so good to watch from an entertainment perspective but also if you want to learn from the pros for your own game. Who knows…it could be at the next Hexagon Cup!