Rafa Nadal’s sister Maribel has solely opened up to Mail Game on the energy encompassing the current week’s debut Hexagon Cup, a pristine padel competition what begins in Madrid on Wednesday.
The eagerly anticipated tournament, which is supported by Nadal, Andy Murray, Robert Lewandowski, and Eva Longoria, is scheduled to kick off the padel season in 2024 and contribute to the sport’s growing global popularity.
Padel has blast as of late, with an expected 25million dynamic players contending across 90 separate nations around the world, and the Hexagon Cup has baited a few of the best global competitors the game brings to the table.
Maribel, managing director of the Rafa Nadal Academy, the first established franchise to commit to the tournament, believes that padel’s rising popularity is due to its social nature and accessibility to players of all levels.
She stated the following in an exclusive interview with Mail Sport prior to the tournament in Madrid: Padel is an exceptionally friendly game where you can have loads of tomfoolery, with a fast expectation to learn and adapt. Furthermore, everybody can live it up no matter what their level.
Rafa Nadal Foundation overseeing chief Maribel Nadal plays padel in front of the competition
Rafa Nadal Foundation overseeing chief Maribel Nadal plays padel in front of the competition
The debut Hexagon Cup is set to launch the 2024 padel season in Madrid on Wednesday
The debut Hexagon Cup is set to launch the 2024 padel season in Madrid on Wednesday
Maribel uncovered to Mail Game that she has been rehearsing padel all the more routinely since the Coronavirus pandemic
Maribel uncovered to Mail Game that she has been rehearsing padel all the more routinely since the Coronavirus pandemic
Maribel is the sister of tennis legend Rafa Nadal
Maribel is the sister of tennis legend Rafa Nadal
‘It’s a game I’ve generally loved. Despite the fact that my dad no longer devotes himself to it, he was perhaps the earliest individual to construct padel courts in Mallorca, so I’ve known the game since I was a youngster.
Although I do recall participating in a tournament when I was 13 years old, I actually did not play much at that time.
Following Rafa Nadal’s victory at the 2022 French Open, the siblings were photographed. “I’ve practiced padel much more since COVID,” said Rafa Nadal. I additionally began taking classes, playing in certain competitions, and partaking in group rivalries at the territorial level, addressing the Rafa Nadal Foundation.’
The tennis preparing focus, which was established by 22-time Huge homerun champ Nadal in 2016, will contend at the Hexagon Cup close by establishment groups possessed by individual tennis extraordinary Murray, Hollywood entertainer Longoria and Finish football symbol Lewandowski.
The competition, which hold a €1million (£860,000) prize asset, has a historic new configuration for padel and will comprise of six groups, each comprised of three sets in Male, Female and Cutting edge classes.
The groups will at first contend in a cooperative capability, with the best coordinates progressing to the semi-finals and last, which are planned on February 3 and February 4 separately.
Energized by the possibility of the new configuration, Maribel added: ‘ The separating factor at the Hexagon Cup is the group rivalry. We are accustomed to tournaments in which players and pairs compete for their own interests, and the emotional component of competing for a different objective is increased.
Padel has blast essentially lately and is assessed to have 25million dynamic players around the world. Maribel has depicted it as a ‘exceptionally friendly game with a speedy expectation to learn and adapt’
Padel has blast altogether as of late and is assessed to have 25million dynamic players around the world. Maribel has described it as a “very social sport with a quick learning curve.” Additionally, the excitement is increased when men, women, and Next Gen players play together. The level of competition among team owners will also be interesting to observe.
‘I’m certain this configuration will be extremely appealing, and onlookers who can’t come to the Madrid Field this year will intend to come one year from now.
“These days, fans are important, and I think that the Hexagon Cup is doing a great job of promoting itself across a number of digital platforms. Additionally, the tournament will feature concerts, exhibitions, and the participation of all major industry brands.’
The Rafa Nadal Foundation fueled by Richard Mille heads into the opposition with a large group of great padel players, including ladies’ reality No 3 Gemma Triay and men’s reality No 7 Franco Stupaczuk.
Triay will compete alongside her regular padel partner, sixth-ranked Marta Ortega. In 2019, at the age of 22, the Spaniard became the youngest player in history to reach the top spot.
For the Rafa Nadal Academy, the men’s doubles are completed by world No. 12 Lex Ruiz and Stupaczuk. In the meantime, Daniel Santigosa and Guillermo Collado are their Next Gen stars.
The Teams Team Hexagon Team Owner: Fans
Male: Paquito Navarro and Juan Martín Díaz.
Female: Alejandra Salazar and Tamara Icardo.
Cutting edge: Pablo Cardona and Alonso Rodriguez.
Cutting edge: Álex Chozas and Emilio Sánchez
Group Bella Puerto Rico
Group Proprietor: Mara Esteve and Carlos López-Lay Male: Arturo Coello and Coki Nieto.
Female: Claudia González and Bea González
Next Gen: Fran Guerrero and Rodrigo Coello.
At the point when requested that who the ones watch are at the competition, Maribel upheld her own, saying: ‘ Gemma Triay and Martita Ortega have amazing talent and a lot of charisma, and they want to win this tournament.
“Also, Lex Ruiz and Franco Stupaczuk have previously competed together and understand what it takes to win professional titles.” We’re amped up for their obligation to the foundation, and ideally, they can win many matches.
“Also, I invite people to watch our Next Gen players’ matches: Guillermo Collado and Daniel Santigosa. They are the present!
“Of course, we would like to remember it with the memory of winning the first edition,” they said. But most importantly, we want the fans to see it as a unique, exciting, and dynamic event and want to go back for the second one.
