News DeskAbu Dhabi, UAE – The world’s top-ranked padel players, Arturo Coello, the youngest player in history to reach the FIP World No1 ranking, and Agustín Tapia, the joint World No1 renowned for his creative and attacking style, delivered a memorable night of elite competition as The Ultimate Padel Match took place at Space42 Arena, Al Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi, on Wednesday evening.
The one-night exhibition featured a rare head-to-head matchup that split the most dominant partnership in modern padel, with Coello teaming up with Spain’s Jorge “Coki” Nieto, the current FIP World No7 and winner of the 2024 Premier Padel Finals, against Tapia and Argentine World Champion Federico Chingotto, the FIP World No3 recognised for his exceptional defensive court coverage. Played outside the official professional tour calendar, the match concluded with a 7–6, 2–6, 6–3 victory for Tapia and Chingotto, marking a first-of-its-kind showcase for fans in the UAE capital.
Reflecting on the occasion, Coello said returning to Abu Dhabi was a special experience both on and off the court: “It’s our second time here, and it’s a real pleasure to play here and be in this city. Padel is growing a lot in Abu Dhabi, and today you could really feel how much people enjoyed the match. It’s an amazing event, and I hope people continue to enjoy and discover this sport.”
He also highlighted the importance of exhibition matches in supporting the sport’s development locally. “Padel is still quite new here, but when people can see the level we play at, it helps them connect with the game,” he said. “It’s a great moment for fans to start practising and enjoying padel.”
Tapia echoed those sentiments, emphasising the role of showcase events in strengthening the padel community in the UAE: “I’m really happy to be back in Abu Dhabi. Padel is growing a lot in the city and across the country, and exhibition matches like this help bring the community together and contribute to that growth.”
Looking ahead, Tapia expressed his desire to return to the capital, saying he “would love to come back”, before adding that “hopefully Abu Dhabi can host more tournaments in the future, so we can keep playing here.”
Beyond the match, both players embraced the cultural experience of Abu Dhabi. Coello described visits to the Zayed National Museum and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque as highlights of his stay, calling them “an incredible experience.”
The unique format of the exhibition resonated strongly with fans in attendance. Eighteen-year-old spectator Danny Al Abadi, who travelled from Dubai to watch the match, said: “You don’t get many chances to see this level of padel up close. Seeing the best in the world compete against each other instead of together made it even more special, and matches like this really help people understand the sport better.”
The Ultimate Padel Match further reinforced Abu Dhabi’s position as a growing destination for world-class sporting events, while offering fans an intimate, high-level padel experience rarely seen outside the professional tour.
