This Week in Padel: Premier Padel 2026 Season Kicks Off in Riyadh, Hexagon Cup Crowns Champions & Star Point Era Begins

🏆 Premier Padel 2026 Season Opens in Riyadh

For the third consecutive year, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia hosts the season opener. The Riyadh Season Premier Padel P1 runs from 9–14 February 2026, and this year’s edition carries extra significance: it’s the first tournament to feature the new Star Point scoring system (more on that below).

Men’s Draw: Coello & Tapia the Team to Beat

The men’s draw features 48 pairs, with the top 16 receiving byes into the second round. The seedings tell the story of professional padel right now:

The narrative is compelling. Coello and Tapia were utterly dominant in 2025 with 13 titles and enter as clear favourites. But this is a new year, and several rejigged pairings will be hungry to make their mark. Keep a close eye on Stupaczuk & Yanguas at seed 3 — their comeback partnership could be one of the stories of the season.

One absence worth noting: Coki Nieto and Pablo Cardona aren’t in Riyadh, with Javi Leal teaming up temporarily with Jon Sanz while he awaits their return.

Women’s Draw: The Paula vs. Ari Era Begins

The women’s draw has undergone a revolution. Former partners Paula Josemaría and Ari Sánchez — who won both previous Riyadh P1 editions together — will face each other as opponents for the first time.

The draw structure means Paula and Ari could meet in the semi-final of the bottom half. That match alone would be worth the price of admission. Also watch for Marta Ortega and Martina Calvo — young Calvo is tipped for a breakout 2026 campaign.

⭐ Star Point: The New Scoring Rule Explained

This is the biggest rule change professional padel has seen in years. From the 2026 season onwards, the Star Point system is in effect across all Premier Padel tournaments. Here’s how it works:

The International Padel Federation introduced the Star Point to “limit the maximum number of points that can be played in a game, avoiding prolonged advantage situations.”

Why It Matters

If you’ve ever watched a professional padel match stretch into a third-set marathon with endless deuce games, you’ll understand the logic. The Star Point addresses three key issues:

• Player welfare — Shorter games mean less cumulative physical toll across a gruelling season
• Broadcast appeal — More predictable match durations help TV scheduling
• Fan engagement — Star Points create high-pressure, must-see moments that could become the sport’s equivalent of a penalty shootout

Riyadh will be the first real test. Expect plenty of drama when a Star Point is called for the first time.

🏅 Hexagon Cup 2026: Murray & AJ’s Team Crowned Champions

The Generali Hexagon Cup 2026 concluded on Sunday at the Caja Mágica in Madrid, and it was AD/Vantage Padel Team — co-owned by Andy Murray and Anthony Joshua — who lifted the trophy.

AD/Vantage defeated KRÜ Padel by Taktika, owned by former Manchester City and Argentina legend Sergio “Kun” Agüero, in a 2-0 sweep in the best-of-three final.

The Final: How It Unfolded

Women’s match (AD/Vantage win): Delfi Brea and Martina Calvo set the tone with a commanding 7-5 6-3 victory over Sofía Araujo and Claudia Jensen. The first set was a constant battle of breaks, but Brea and Calvo were sharper when it mattered.

Men’s match (KRÜ win on paper, but AD/Vantage already sealed it): This was the match of the tournament. Martín Di Nenno and Juan Tello took on Fede Chingotto and Momo González in an absolutely breathtaking contest. Heroic defences, pinpoint attacks, rallies that brought the entire Caja Mágica to its feet. Di Nenno and Tello edged it 7-6(3) 6-2, but AD/Vantage had already clinched the title.

Star-Studded Affair

The eight-team tournament format continues to attract massive celebrity investment. Beyond Murray, Joshua and Agüero, other team owners include:

• Robert Lewandowski (RL9 Padel Team, finished 3rd)
• Pierre Gasly & Loic Fery (10 Padel Alpine)
• Eva Longoria (ElevenEleven)

Lewandowski’s dedication was revealed by his team manager: “Robert asks me about the results every day. Even at 2am, he sent me a message asking what the score was.”

The Hexagon Cup organisers are now exploring holding the event at multiple locations around the world and potentially more than once per year. The format clearly works.

Hexagon World Series Expands

Following a strategic agreement between the FIP, Hexagon Cup and 54 announced in December 2025, the team format is expanding into the Hexagon World Series — a multi-event global model fully integrated into the official FIP calendar. Three events are confirmed for 2026:

• September (14–20) — Converted from the former Europe P2 slot
• October (22–25)
• December (17–20)

Venues to be announced. This is a significant step towards padel’s Olympic ambitions — a team-based format adds another dimension to the sport’s pitch for inclusion.

🇬🇧 London P1 Confirmed: UK’s Biggest Padel Event Ever

This is huge for UK padel. The LTA Padel has confirmed the London P1 as part of its 2026 performance competition calendar, and it’s being positioned as a pivotal moment for professional padel’s international expansion into Great Britain.

London joins Pretoria (27 July – 2 August) and Valencia (8–14 June) as brand-new venues on the 2026 circuit. The venue hasn’t been announced yet, but given London’s track record with major sporting events, expectations are sky-high.

For UK padel fans, this is the moment. Get it in your diaries now — tickets will fly.

📅 2026 Calendar Updates: What Changed and Why

The FIP, Premier Padel and Hexagon confirmed several calendar adjustments this week. Here’s the summary:

The overall theme is player welfare. Between the Star Point reducing game length, the streamlined P2 draws, and better scheduling continuity between events, the FIP is clearly listening to its athletes. These changes came directly from the Tour Steering Committees, which include player and coach representatives.

🏆 FIP Platinum Marseille: Guerrero & Leal Triumph

The first FIP Platinum of 2026 wrapped up in Marseille this weekend, and it delivered drama right to the end.

Men’s Final: Epic Comeback

Fran Guerrero & Javi Leal (1st seeds) defeated Javi Garrido & Lucas Bergamini in a stunning comeback: 3-6 6-3 6-4 in two and a half hours.

France has become something of a lucky charm for Guerrero — titles in Lyon, Bourg-en-Bresse, and now Marseille. “Yes, France brings me luck,” he admitted after the match.

For Leal, it was his first international title as part of a pair, and he dedicated it to his unwell grandfather — a touching moment.

Women’s Final: Bittersweet Victory

Lucia Sainz & Raquel Eugenio won the women’s title, but it was a bittersweet triumph. Ale Alonso was forced to retire with an ankle injury after just five games, ending both her and Ale Salazar’s campaign.

“We are happy about the victory, but it’s not nice to have achieved it this way. We wish Ale a speedy return to the court,” said the gracious winners.

Both Guerrero and Leal now head straight to Riyadh as the 5th and 7th seeds respectively — arriving on a wave of confidence.

🏸 Gear News: Wilson Endure Range Launches

We’ve already published a comprehensive review of the Wilson Endure lineup. If you’re a control-oriented player who’s been waiting for Wilson to step into this space, it’s well worth a read.

Looking for a new racket for the 2026 season? Check out some of our latest reviews:

• 🔥 HEAD Extreme Pro 2026 Review — Diamond power weapon with Auxetic 2.0
• 💪 Adidas Adipower Multiweight 3.3 Review — Customisable power
• ⚡ NOX AT10 Genius 12K Alum XTREM 2026 Review — Tapia’s signature weapon
• 🔨 Bullpadel Hack 04 2026 Review — Paquito Navarro’s choice

👀 Look Ahead: What to Watch This Week

Where to Watch

Premier Padel broadcasts are available through the official Premier Padel channels and various regional broadcasters. Check your local listings or the FIP website for streaming details.

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