A New Continent on the Premier Padel Map
Premier Padel steps into uncharted territory this weekend as qualifying at the SunBet Arena, Time Square, Pretoria gets underway on 26 July. The main draw runs from 27 July to 2 August 2026, making the Pretoria P1 the first Premier Padel tournament ever held on African soil. The total prize pool stands at €479,068, in line with other P1 events on the 26-stop 2026 circuit. A long-term agreement between Premier Padel and Primedia Sport anchors the event as a recurring fixture, with future editions already guaranteed.
South Africa's padel landscape has grown fast enough to earn the slot: the country now claims approximately 410,000 registered amateur players and more than 1,400 courts, according to Premier Padel data. All matches will be broadcast live on ESPN Africa, available via DStv and StarTimes across Sub-Saharan Africa. Red Bull TV carries the global stream from the quarter-finals onward.
Coello and Tapia: Five and Counting
Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia arrive in Pretoria as top seeds, riding the momentum of their fifth consecutive P1 title, claimed in Málaga last weekend. Their 2,500-point cushion at the top of the world rankings gives them a margin no other pair currently enjoys. Second seeds Alejandro Galán and Federico Chingotto are the likeliest challengers, with Juan Lebrón and his partner among the top-half threats in a 48-man draw composed of 37 direct entries, eight qualifiers, and three wildcards.
Those three wildcard spots were allocated to South African pairs through an official trial process. The successful duos are Richard Ashforth and Luan Krige, Adam van Harte and Warren Kuhn, and Jason Blakey-Milner and Egmond van Heerden. Their presence in the main draw alongside the world elite is one of the defining images of the tournament's opening chapter.
Women's Draw: Brea, Triay, and Josemaría in a 28-Pair Field
The women's competition fields 28 pairs — 23 direct entries, four qualifiers, one wildcard. Delfina Brea and Gemma Triay, fresh from their marathon three-hour Málaga final victory, share top-seeded status. Paula Josemaría and Beatriz González, runners-up in Málaga, are seeded third. Ariana Sánchez rounds out the top five. South Africa's No.1 player, Imaan Valli, holds the sole women's wildcard and will compete in front of home support for the first time at Premier Padel level.
Women's matches are scheduled before men's matches in the early rounds, with both finals set for Sunday, 2 August at 1:00 PM local time.
High Altitude, Indoor Courts, and a Local Media Push
Pretoria sits at roughly 1,350 metres above sea level, which is why the tournament adopts the Bullpadel Premium Pro High Altitude ball instead of the standard circuit ball. Courts are supplied by Mejor Set on Mondo turf. The SunBet Arena provides a fully indoor, climate-controlled environment capable of holding several thousand spectators, ensuring the first African Premier Padel crowd gets an authentic tour-quality experience.
Beyond the on-court action, a twelve-part magazine series hosted by broadcaster Anele Mdoda will run across official channels throughout the event, giving local audiences behind-the-scenes access to the world's top players. Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster SA. The next stop after Pretoria is the London P1, scheduled for 3–9 August.
Padel Post Redaktion
The Padel Post editorial team covers professional padel worldwide — World Padel Tour, Premier Padel and beyond.
