Spanish players Sandra Bellver and Alba Gallardo have won an international padel stage in Thailand, giving Koh Phangan an additional sporting showcase.
Padel resembles a mix of tennis and squash. It is usually played by four people, on a court smaller than a tennis court, surrounded by glass and mesh where rebounds are part of the game. Players use solid rackets, without strings. Easy to pick up, this sport is experiencing international growth.
At Koh Phangan, Sandra Bellver and Alba Gallardo, both Spanish, won the FIP Bronze High Velocity Phangan, a stage of the CUPRA FIP Tour. In the final, they defeated Italian Elsa Terranova and Russian Angelina Neizvestnaya 6-1, 6-1. The winners conceded only five games throughout the tournament.
This Bronze tournament is an official international competition, but is not part of the major events on the world padel calendar. It mainly allows players to earn points in the FIP ranking, while giving less usual destinations a place on the international sporting calendar.
For Koh Phangan, the event represents an opportunity to make itself known beyond its image as an island and tourist destination. The presence of foreign players, matches and a tournament on an international circuit can attract the attention of padel enthusiasts and specialist media. Without prejudging its economic impact, this stage offers the island a sporting showcase abroad.
This competition helps diversify the local offering and associate Koh Phangan with a sport in full development.
