Rocket Padel London has been confirmed as the host of the first-ever Anglo American Padel Cup, with the event set to bring the historic sporting rivalry between the UK and US to the fast-growing world of padel this October. Rocket Padel’s partnership with this exciting new format will transfer the UK and US’ historic sporting rivalry into the padel world, where over 150 years of intense competition will continue through one of the world’s most talked about sports.
Rocket Padel London, which is set to be the firm’s fourth UK club, will offer state-of-the-art facilities to both elite athletes and spectators, with five pristine indoor courts and three outdoor courts expected to await those competing in October. Rocket Padel’s forward-thinking founder Sebastian Gordon expresses the sense of ‘privilege’ that the group feel at being able to host an event of this calibre, and their reputation for unparalleled venue provisions leaves no doubt that the competition’s quality will mirror that of the Ryder Cup and Davis Cup, which both started out as Britain versus America.
An Age-Old Rivalry Resumed: Paving the Way for International Competition
Athletes from both nations have expressed their excitement in representing their countries in an age-old rivalry, with British Men’s Captain Rafa Vaga describing the event as a “hugely exciting debut” and the opportunity to captain his country as a “moment of pride”. This is mirrored by Britain’s Women’s Captain, Eloise Tait, who believes the event is a “huge moment for British Padel”. The historic rivalry between the two nations, defined by iconic fixtures like the America’s Cup and Davis Cup, will be landmarked on the padel landscape for the first time and hopefully will create more incredible moments by which the rivalry is remembered.
The historic rivalry between the two nations, defined by iconic fixtures like the America’s Cup and Davis Cup, will be landmarked on the padel landscape for the very first time
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Designed to be an annual event, The Cup’s introduction is a product of founders Bill Urman, Ben Nichols and Joelle Quinn’s passion for padel, with the trio’s experiences in the UK and US a key driver in the formation of a multi-nation event. In an added coup for the debut competition, the event is supported by both the National Padel Federations of Great Britain (LTA) and the United States (USPA), with elite players from both nations expected to be participating when the competition kicks off on 10 October. As an annual event, the Cup will travel across the Atlantic for next year’s edition, with the revolving nature of the event’s location a measure to foster greater coverage of the sport in both countries.
A new dynamic – The Cup as a model for padel’s growth
As a one-of-a-kind event in the padel world, The Anglo American Cup will also allow padel’s audience in the UK and US to be significantly widened. Tom Murray, who heads padel at the LTA, is keen to emphasise that the event will be a “a fantastic opportunity to showcase the talent” that both countries have to offer and reflects padel’s current growth whilst simultaneously fuelling further uptake at an elite level. With over a thousand padel courts having already been established between the two nations, the Cup’s unique format will aim to foster participation in these ‘growing’ padel ecosystems. Scott Colebourne, Chief Executive Officer of the USPA, mentions the same direction as to what the event offers for the wider community. Colebourne attributes a ‘landmark’ quality to the cup on account of its elite status and hopes that the representation of US athletes to an international audience will reflect the sport’s growth within the country.
With over a thousand padel courts established between the two nations, The Cup’s unique format will aim to foster participation in these ‘emerging’ padel ecosystems.
As both nations prepare to resume this centuries-old rivalry, athletes and fans alike will wish that October comes quickly. The excitement around the event – which, with the UK and US being the new kids on the block with padel, provides a cute irony on this old sporting rivalry – resonates not simply for the outcome but also for what the Cup symbolises for the sport’s continued growth in the US and UK. With the sport becoming ever-popular, it seems that this event is the perfect mechanism for widening the sport’s audience and promoting the profile of professional padel.
