(MENAFN- Mid-East.Info) UAE Wild Card Championship sponsored by Emirates Post Group hosts its second tournament exclusively for advanced Emirati padel players
The UAE Nationals tournament will see 30 men's and 16 women's teams compete at the World Padel Academy in Dubai from February 3 – 5
Winners from the UAE Nationals Tournament will be awarded Wild Card entry to the qualifications of the World Padel Tour Modon Abu Dhabi Padel Master, as well as cash prizes of AED 10,000 The UAE Wild Card Championship finals will be held on February 12 in Abu Dhabi
Dubai: The Emirates Post Group UAE Wild Card Championship is hosting the UAE Nationals tournament with over 90 advanced Emirati male and female padel players expected to compete from February 3 – 5 at the World Padel Academy in Dubai. This will be the championship's second tournament, which is held exclusively for UAE Nationals to qualify for the World Padel Tour Modon Abu Dhabi Master. Last weekend, the Emirates Post Group UAE Wild Card Championship held its first tournament which was open to male and female UAE residents. On the weekend of February 10 – 11, the championship will host the male and female GCC Residents Open.
Sponsored by Emirates Post Group in partnership with the UAE Padel Association (UAEPA) and Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the UAE Wild Card Championship will witness 46 Emirati teams, including 30 men's and 16 women's teams, play in the UAE Nationals tournament. The tournament will include a round of 32 on Friday, February 2; a round of 16 and the quarterfinals on Saturday, February 4; and the semi-finals on Sunday, February 5. The finals will be played in Abu Dhabi on February 12.
Abdulla Mohammed Alashram, Group CEO of Emirates Post Group, said:“The success of the UAE Residents Open held last weekend in Sharjah was a clear indication of the growing interest and enthusiasm for padel in our country. It was truly inspiring to see so many talented players come together to compete and showcase their skills. As the UAE Nationals Tournament kicks off in Dubai this weekend, we have high expectations for what promises to be an even more competitive and thrilling event. We are excited to see the passion and skill that will be on display.”
The Emirates Post Group UAE Wild Card Championship seeks to foster the growth of the sport in the region, motivating and advancing a new generation of padel players in the Middle East. The Emirates Post Group UAE Wild Card Championship, organised by Global MICE Organisation Limited (GMOL Events) in association with Match Spot, consists of three category tournaments hosted across the UAE from January 27 to February 12: UAE Residents Open, the UAE Nationals tournament, and the GCC Residents Open.
Namir Hourani, Managing Director, Global MICE Organisation Limited (GMOL Events) said:“The participation of advanced padel players at the UAE Wild Card Championship tournments attests to the growing interest and love for the sport and the importance of our efforts to bring together the regional padel community, in preparation for the World Padel Tour Modon Abu Dhabi Padel Master. This championship serves as a stage for talented athletes to display their skills and for fans to enjoy the excitement of competitive padel. Last week, the fans brought excitement to the courts during the UAE Residents Open, and we look forward to another incredible showing of support for our home-grown athletes.”
The UAE Residents Open concluded in Sharjah last week, with the finalists being Ignacio Gadea and Martin Noschese, and Jordi Casanova and Javier Rodriguez from the men's tournament and Angela Caro and Sol Perez, and Iris Murcia and Cristina Navarro from the women's tournament.
The Emirates Post Group UAE Wild Card Championship finals will be held on February 12 at the Abu Dhabi Padel Hub, with each of the six winning teams receiving a Wild Card entry to compete against top world-seeded players in the World Padel Tour Modon Abu Dhabi Padel Master Qualification round from February 18-20 at 321 Sports on Hudayriyat Island. The Main Draw of the Modon Abu Dhabi Padel Master will then take place from February 21-26 at Bab Al Nojoum on Hudayriyat Island in Abu Dhabi.
About UAE Padel Association
The origins of Padel in UAE can be traced to the huge amount of support and personal attention given to the sport by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council. It was under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan that the sport of Padel really sprouted and started getting recognition from a majority of the tennis fraternity existing in the country.
In June 2019 the UAE Sports Ministry decree officially recognised padel as a sport with full government support. As per the decree, Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum was entrusted with the reins of being the first President of UAE Padel Association with assistance of six members to form the Board of Directors.
About Emirates Post Group
Emirates Post Group Company is a Public Joint Stock Company under Emirates Investment Authority (EIA) operating as a commercial entity across the emirates. It manages and oversees its postal operational division, Emirates Post, the leading postal and express delivery provider in the region, as well as FINTX – its fintech arm, and Electronic Documents Centre – its digital solutions arm. Emirates Post Group's rich history in the country and the region positively contributes to the UAE's social and economic development in line with the government's vision. Specifically, the Group's portfolio plays an essential role in supporting the nation's strategy towards leadership in logistics, eCommerce, financial inclusion, and digital integration.
About the Global MICE Organisation Limited (GMOL)
Global MICE Organisation Limited (GMOL) is global event operations and marketing company that organizes and promotes world-class conferences (such as the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit), exhibitions and sporting events around the world. GMOL is based in the UAE, with its main headquarters located in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi.
In August 2022, GMOL and World Padel Tour signed an exclusive Middle East agreement to bring WPT's Master tournament to Abu Dhabi, from 21 – 26 February 2023. Abu Dhabi will host the first WPT Master in the MENA Region and the first Master tournament in WPT's 2023 season.