UAE kicks off the Nad Al Sheba Padel Teams Tournament with rousing win over Lebanon

Dubai: The UAE national team made a commanding start to the padel competition at the 13th Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament, securing a convincing straight-sets victory over Lebanon on Monday evening.

The Emirati pairing of Fares Al Janahi and Abdullah Al Abdullah set the tone early, overpowering Mark Bustani and Ralph Thomas with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 win. Momentum continued to swing in the hosts’ favour as Francisco Jurado and Majid Al Janahi replicated the scoreline against Alex Bustani and Jad Salibi. Lebanon showed greater resistance in the final encounter, but Inigo Giuffre and Salem Al Holi held firm to clinch a 6-2, 7-6 triumph and complete a perfect night for the UAE.

The team padel event brings together eight competing nations — the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Morocco, Egypt and Iran — as part of the wider Nad Al Sheba programme.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and guided by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, this year’s tournament is staged at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex under the theme “Limitless Capabilities.”

Morocco impress, Egypt edge Bahrain in tight battles

While the hosts enjoyed a smooth outing, Morocco delivered one of the standout performances of the opening round with a 2-1 win over Iran. Reda El Amrani and Mehdi Zaidi opened Morocco’s account before Alami Mohammad and Adam Moammar doubled the advantage. Iran managed to pull one back through Arsham Moradi and Arya Jafar, but Morocco held on to seal the tie.

Egypt and Bahrain produced a tactical contest that kept spectators engaged throughout. Egypt struck first through Mohamed El Gabry and Mohamed Abou El Qassem, only for Ali and Hussein Dhawani to restore parity for Bahrain. The decisive moment arrived when Ali Zaghloul and Sherif Makhlouf combined effectively to secure a 6-2, 6-4 win and hand Egypt the overall victory.

Kuwait claim bragging rights in Gulf Derby

Arguably the most anticipated clash of the round saw Kuwait edge Saudi Arabia 2-1 in a tightly contested ‘Gulf Derby.’ Abdulrahman Al Awadhi and Fawaz Al Ajmi delivered an early breakthrough for Kuwait, followed by a strong showing from Hamoud Al Junaidel and Hussein Shams to put the tie beyond immediate reach. Saudi Arabia responded late through Omar Al Thaqib and Stam Al Sharhani, but Kuwait’s earlier success proved decisive.

Record turnout highlights badminton competition

Away from the padel courts, the badminton tournament drew a record 225 participants representing diverse nationalities across multiple age groups. Winners were honoured by Her Excellency Noura Al Jasmi, President of the UAE Badminton Federation, alongside tournament officials and partners.

Al Nasr Club athletes dominated the Emirati youth divisions, with Hayat Khalifa Abdulrahman capturing the girls’ U15 singles title and Mohammed Ali Al Ali winning the boys’ crown.

In the senior Emirati events, Mayed Tariq Obaidullah secured the men’s singles title, while Ghadeer Ali Al Taheri topped the women’s category. Obaidullah later teamed up with Sultan Ahmed Al Hamed to claim men’s doubles gold, as Samira Issa Al Balushi and Farah Ibrahim Al Hajji triumphed in the women’s doubles.

The open and international divisions showcased strong academy representation, led by Battledore Sports Academy’s Abhinav Thakur, who won men’s singles honours, while Nurani Ratu Azzahra emerged victorious in the women’s event. Azzahra also partnered Andy Hamza Marwan to secure the mixed doubles title for Abu Dhabi Badminton Club.

Adding a meaningful dimension to the competition, the Special Olympics Unified Category was staged, with Asia Jabegu and Shan Tanu Sumesh taking top honours.

Al Jasmi praises tournament impact

Reflecting on the event’s growing influence, Noura Al Jasmi described the Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament as a vital platform for badminton development in the UAE.

“We appreciate the continued support of the Dubai Sports Council. Nad Al Sheba has become a cornerstone for nurturing badminton,” she said.

Al Jasmi highlighted the tournament’s role in talent discovery, noting that Emirati athlete Abdul Aziz — a Nad Al Sheba product — went on to secure an international medal at the Asian Games, marking a milestone achievement for the nation’s badminton programme.