Key Takeaways
- Players strongly criticized court conditions at the CUPRA FIP Tour Silver event in Guimarães after Mónica Gómez suffered an injury and had to retire in the semifinals.
- Andrés Fernández Lancha highlighted the hazards on Instagram, stating: “Every step on the court was uneven; you’d slip, get stuck, or cut yourself on some part of the court.”
- Julia Polo demanded greater oversight from the governing body, stressing: “It’s not about asking for luxury facilities. It’s about being able to compete without putting our physical safety at risk.”
Substandard outdoor conditions spark safety fears in Portugal
The Guimarães Master Padel, a CUPRA FIP Tour Silver category event held between September 14 and September 20 in the Portuguese town of Guimarães, concluded under heavy criticism from competitors. While the tournament crowned its champions on the court, player outrage surrounding unsafe infrastructure overshadowed the sporting outcomes.
Marta Barrera and Jana Montes lifted the women’s trophy following a 7-6, 6-3 victory over Eugenia Guimet and Aimee Gibson. In the men’s event, Juan ‘Coquito’ Zamora and Nacho Vilariño earned the title by overcoming Daniel Santigosa and Ramiro Valenzuela 7-6, 6-2. The competition featured a main draw of 28 pairs in the men’s tournament—supported by 13 duos in qualifying—alongside 26 pairs in the women’s bracket. However, the dangerous surface conditions quickly became the focal point of the week.
Players speak out after semifinal withdrawal
The outdoor venue reportedly failed to meet the basic standards required for professional padel, directly putting player safety in jeopardy. Mónica Gómez was forced to retire from her semifinal match after sustaining an injury attributed to the poor surface, prompting vocal complaints from fellow competitors including her partner Julia Polo and Andrés Fernández Lancha.
Fernández Lancha took to social media to highlight the hazardous state of the court. “Every step on the court was uneven; you’d slip, get stuck, or cut yourself on some part of the court,” the player explained. “Every movement scared me. You have to be brave to go out and play in conditions like that, especially after seeing a teammate get injured in the match before.”
Calls for International Padel Federation oversight
Despite repeated requests from athletes during the event, tournament conditions remained unaddressed. Polo expressed deep frustration over the apparent lack of response to safety concerns.
“Throughout the tournament, several players complained and asked for the condition of the court to be checked. And yet, nothing was done,” Polo stated. “We have been requesting more attention and support from the International Padel Federation for some time now to ensure a minimum level of quality in FIP circuit tournaments, but we often feel that our complaints go unheard. It’s not about asking for luxury facilities. It’s about being able to compete without putting our physical safety at risk.”
Competitors maintain that while the international growth of the sport is vital, global expansion cannot come at the expense of player well-being, demanding guaranteed safety standards across both the CUPRA FIP Tour and Premier Padel.
