FIP Promises at Aspire Academy draws over 130 players from 29 nations

Doha, Qatar saw over 130 athletes from 29 countries converge on the Aspire Academy for the second annual International Padel Federation (FIP) Promises event. The tournament, which included teams from South Africa, Spain, Argentina, and the GCC, comprised 104 teams across four age groups: under-12, under-14, under-16, and under-18. This was the largest FIP Promises event in the region in 2026.

The FIP Promises Tour serves as the international junior circuit for padel, providing competitive matches for players in the specified age brackets. By hosting this event, Aspire Academy continues to demonstrate its dedication to nurturing Qatar's young padel talent, offering local student-athletes the opportunity to compete at an international level.

Tournament Director and Aspire Academy Senior Padel Coach Ignacio Gorbea emphasized the significance of such events, stating, "It is very important for us to show the world what we are doing here at Aspire Academy with the padel project that we started just three years ago." He further highlighted the extensive support provided by various departments, including coaching, marketing, communications, logistics, and volunteer efforts.

Gorbea expressed pride in the rapid growth of padel globally and the high caliber of Aspire Academy's players.

The tournament also yielded success on the court. Hassan Waly, a 2026 grade 12 student-athlete, continued his winning streak with the under-18 title. Additionally, Ali Abdulrahman Al-Malik (grade 10) won the under-16s, and Elias Lejmi emerged victorious in the under-14s. Notable attendees included Argentina's Ambassador to Qatar, His Excellency Guillermo Luis Nicolás, Aspire Academy executives Markus Egger, Saeed Srour, Muneera Hammam, and Mariano Amat, along with Prof Valter Di Salvo, Director of Football Performance and Science.