Don’t miss the Verbier Padel Master
The first international Padel tournament will take place on Swiss soil
Verbier will host the first international Padel tournament on Swiss soil from 15-20 August 2023. A central court and a secondary court will be set up for this exciting competition, plus a 1,000-seat grandstand will be erected around the centre court and 10,000 spectators are expected.
Practiced by 25 million people worldwide, Padel tennis is the fastest growing sport in Europe. The sport is a combination of tennis and squash that is played by two players (singles) or by four players (doubles). Players use a small, thick racket (a paddle) and a tennis ball and count points like tennis. The courts are much smaller than a tennis court and are enclosed with a glass rear and sidewall.
Swiss tennis player, Stan Wawrinka, fell in love with this fun sport and his team has signed a three-year contract with Verbier and A1Padel. This is one of the three professional internationals on the Padel tennis circuit that exist today, and which includes the new Verbier tournament.
As president of this contest set up by the company WHL Sport SA*, Stan Wawrinka, says: “As a big fan of racket sports, I immediately became a fan of Padel tennis. Its accessibility, its dynamism, its playfulness but also its extremely competitive side make it a sport that will appeal to a very large number of people and establish itself as a favourite among the public. With the help of Verbier, we can showcase Padel tennis in Switzerland and internationally at this event”.
Access to the matches on the secondary court will be free – with entertainment, giant screens, food outlets and concerts punctuating this event. “It will be a sports festival”, says Stan Wawrinka. Verbier’s choice is not a coincidence, it’s Stan Wawrinka’s favourite mountain resort. The organisers also wanted to distinguish themselves from other existing tournaments and the magical setting of Verbier and the Val de Bagnes offered them this possibility.
Although the first edition will only host male Padel tennis players, from 2024 onwards, they will also host a female event. Tickets for the central court will be available in June 2023. The entire programme and all practical information can be found at www.verbierpadelmaster.com/en
*Plus Stan’s sister Naëlla Wawrinka, Renato Lombardi and Dan Hafner
