The patronage extended by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has helped padel tennis become one of the UAE’s most popular sports, says Sheikh Mansoor.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Dubai’s hosting of the World Padel Championship 2022 from 31 October to November 5 further consolidates the city’s emergence as a major venue for leading global sporting events, said Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council (DSC).

His remarks came as Dubai gears up to host the biennial tournament of the Championship, which is being held in the UAE for the first time under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

Organised by the International Padel Federation, the World Padel Championship 2022 is being hosted by the UAE Padel Association (UAEPA) in association with the Dubai Sports Council and Dubai’s Department of Economy & Tourism (DET) at the 5,000-seat Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.

Sheikh Mansoor said Dubai is gearing up to host the best ever edition of the World Padel Championship - both in terms of organisation and the quality of participation.

He said this has been made possible by the support of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum as well as the efforts of the Championship’s Organising Committee, headed by Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Padel Association.

“The patronage extended by Sheikh Hamdan, and the impetus provided by the launch of the country’s first padel tournament at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Course Complex, have led to padel tennis emerging as one of the most popular sports in the UAE.

“The sport gained further popularity with the construction of state-of-the-art stadiums in the city, making the UAE a major venue for global and regional championships and a destination for athletes and fans from across the globe,” he added.

“The Crown Prince of Dubai has also supported the UAE Padel Association in achieving its mission to further develop the sport, which contributed to the emergence of talented players and a national team that managed to win the inaugural Gulf Padel Cup, Sheikh Mansoor noted.

 “Dubai’s hosting of the World Padel Tennis Championship reflects its growing profile as a leading country on the global sports map and its rise as a major venue for prestigious international sporting events. The emirate’s selection as the host city is also testament to the International Padel Federation’s confidence in the UAE’s capabilities to organise a successful global tournament.”

The six-day international competition, which has a prize pool of more than Dhs1 million, will see 16 men’s and women’s national teams participate from countries across the world including Egypt, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, France, Italy, Mexico, Paraguay, Spain and Uruguay.

The UAE men’s national team will make its World Padel Championship debut on home turf. The eight-man squad will represent the Arabian Gulf against a glittering roster of the game’s leading countries.

Over the last few years, padel tennis has surged in popularity among men and women across all age groups. A cross between tennis and squash, padel tennis is one of the fastest growing sports in the world.