BNL Italy Major Premier Padel, Carraro’s assessment: “With women, this is really the tour we dreamed about”

The smartphone of the International Padel Federation president, Luigi Carraro, doesn’t stop to accumulate collector’s items these days. “Yesterday evening I took a photo, we were playing on four courts and there were fans everywhere – he says -. I think this is an extraordinary message, which demonstrates how our sport is growing and being appreciated. A photograph that pays off the effort of all of us“. Two days to the end of the BNL Italy Major Premier Padel at Foro Italico, and with the decisive stages of the tournament still to be played, it is already time to take stock of the tournament, even if provisional. “And it is an assessment far beyond our expectations – the words of Fip number 1 -. We organized the tournament for the first time in combined mode, thanks to the work of the International Federation, Premier Padel, FITP and Sport e Salute, with the support of Qatar Sports Invesments, the best partner we could have. The balance is more than positive“.

GALAN And the semifinals and finals are still missing: it’s where Ale Galan – as defending champion, together with Lebron – aims to be. He recently tendered his resignation as president of the players’ association (Ppa). “He will go down to history for making this sport free and professional – Carraro said -. As a serious person, he said he wanted to devote himself to his main activity: he is number one in the world and he wants to maintain this status. Today his choice is respected and Ale should be thanked“.

DEVELOPMENT. It is a moment of great development for padel. In Rome, a week ago, the FIP assembly was held, with 72 affiliated federations, which arrived a few days after the great success of the European Games in Krakow. “I was impressed by the participation in the assembly – again Carraro -. The quality of the federations has grown a lot, compared to a few years ago it is another world. The development of padel is consistent with that of the international federation. We are growing on all continents, precisely yesterday the Washington Post dedicated an article to padel and its development. What happened in Krakow will remain in everyone’s memory: I personally get emotional during the athletes’ parades and seeing so many padel players on the march really made me proud. Not to mention – continues Carraro – what the number one of the European Olympic Committee, Spyros Capralos, said, namely that padel at the European Games was top class for audiences and entertainment“.

WOMEN The big news of this Roman stage of the BNL Italy Major Premier Padel was the enlargement to include the women’s draw. “This was one of my challenges – explains Carraro -. We wouldn’t have been on a real tour until the women entered. In recent days I’ve seen them enthusiastic. They had talked to their male colleagues about the structure organization, but what they experienced goes beyond everything. My greatest joy is to see them happy. The vast majority of the 2023 tournaments, including the one in Milan, will also see the women’s draw and if it’s not all, it will only be for logistical and organizational reasons. From 2024, the year in which we will have a schedule as homogeneous as possible, women will always be present“.

COMMUNICATION. The growth of padel in the world, according to Carraro, also passes through a significant increase in communication work. “Premier Padel is broadcast in 187 countries, but every day there is news in terms of communication and there isn’t a main draw match that hasn’t been broadcast between TV and YouTube. Not only that: we inaugurated a few month ago the new website which is having great success and reflects the evolution of padel, giving visibility to all athletes and all federations“.