Key Takeaways
- The fifth edition of the Italian Padel Awards takes place at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico on 16 September 2026.
- Paquito Navarro and Maxi Sanchez will receive Legend honours, while Aimar Goñi collects the Rising Star award.
- Maxi Sanchez will also unveil a technical initiative that involves moving to Italy to support domestic padel growth.
Stadio Olimpico hosts fifth edition of the Italian Padel Awards
The fifth edition of the Italian Padel Awards takes centre stage on 16 September 2026, gathering world-class players, coaches and sports personalities at the Tribuna Autorità of the Stadio Olimpico. Organized by Corriere dello Sport-Stadio, the annual ceremony has established itself as a highlight of the late Roman summer, honouring excellence across professional circuits, clubs and industry innovators.
Television presenter and Sky Sport padel voice Alessandro Lupi hosts the gala as Content Director, joined on stage by Corriere dello Sport-Stadio editor Ivan Zazzaroni along with prominent figures from politics and Italian sports institutions.
Global stars and Italian talents recognised across eight categories
The awards span eight diverse categories: Legend, Rising Star, Club, Coach, Team, Ambassador, Travel and Italians. In the Legend category, former world number ones Paquito Navarro and Maxi Sanchez take top honours. Navarro, who captured the hearts of local supporters during the inaugural Italy Major Premier Padel in 2022, returns to the capital to receive another warm embrace from the crowd. Sanchez will reflect on a career spanning more than two decades at the elite level while presenting his new technical project, which involves moving to Italy to assist with the domestic game’s growth.
Spanish talent Aimar Goñi receives the Rising Star award following endorsements from world number one Arturo Coello, who highlighted him as a future fixture for Premier Padel and the Spanish national squad. Meanwhile, the Italian national squad earns Team honours after their medal-winning performances at the Mediterranean Games.
Overview of the 2026 Italian Padel Awards honourees
| Category | Recipient / Nominee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Legend | Paquito Navarro | Former world number one and fan favourite |
| Legend | Maxi Sanchez | Former world number one launching technical project in Italy |
| Rising Star | Aimar Goñi | Tipped for Premier Padel and Spanish national team |
| Team | Italian National Team | Honoured for success at Mediterranean Games |
| Italians | Noa Bonnefoy & Michele Brambilla | Gold medallists at World University Championships in Malaga |
| Italians | To be revealed | Third recipient announced during the ceremony |
| Ambassador | Pierluigi Pardo & Anna Safroncik | Media personality and actress recognised for promoting padel |
| Club | Golden Goose Arena (Milan) | Managed by Demetrio Albertini via Milano City Padel |
| Coach | Roberto Agnini | Technical director of C.C. Aniene with 10 Serie A titles |
| Travel | Padel Travel | Pioneering travel agency founded in Costa del Sol in 2018 |
The Italians category celebrates university world champions Noa Bonnefoy and Michele Brambilla following their gold medals in Malaga, alongside an unannounced honouree kept secret until the gala. Journalist Pierluigi Pardo and actress Anna Safroncik collect the Ambassador accolades, while Roberto Agnini secures the Coach award following his tenth Serie A league title as technical director of C.C. Aniene. Demetrio Albertini will collect the Club trophy on behalf of Milan’s Golden Goose Arena, and Padel Travel takes the newly introduced Travel award.
Sanchez and Ustero in Paris, ranking, and results
WWWWLWWLWW Sanchez and Ustero have achieved a win-loss 36-12 record together in 2026. The last match they played was on the 13th of September when they conquered the Paris Major 2026 after defeating Fernandez (world no.6) and Calvo (world no.8) 6-2 6-0 in the final.
