The Hiscox Padel Irish Open concluded its second edition at Star Padel in Templeogue on Sunday, with Spanish pairings taking both titles and the event underlining how quickly padel is developing as a sporting and commercial platform in Ireland.
Antonio Fernandez and Pedro Melendez Amaya claimed the men’s championship after a week of high-quality international competition at the new Star Padel facility within St Mary’s College RFC.
The women’s title also went to Spain, with Noemi Aguilar Carrillo and Letizia Maria Manquillo Alarza completing a successful tournament with victory in Sunday’s final.
The results brought the curtain down on an expanded Irish Open which ran from qualification through to Sunday’s semi-finals and finals as part of the International Padel Federation’s Cupra FIP Tour.
Its elevation to FIP Silver status represented a significant step forward from the inaugural tournament in 2025. The competition featured 32-pair main draws for both men and women and carried an €18,000 prize fund.
However, the importance of the event extended beyond the results on court.
Spectator Experience
Organisers ForeFront Sports and the Padel Federation of Ireland used the move to Templeogue to create a larger spectator and sponsor experience around the tournament.
One of the rugby pitches at St Mary’s College RFC was transformed into the Hiscox Village, pictured above, featuring a large screen, live DJ, children’s games, face painting and a selection of food and drink options.
Yoplait Skyr, which joined the event as a Premium Partner, supplied complimentary yoghurt bowls throughout the weekend.
The village concept provided a visible activation platform for title sponsor Hiscox while also making the tournament accessible to families and spectators who may have been attending a professional padel event for the first time.
Perhaps more importantly for Hiscox, they ran a private event for clients and connections before the Open, in the fully branded arena, which by all accounts was a big hit.
That combination of elite competition and informal participation is becoming central to the commercial appeal of padel.
The sport can provide brands with traditional event assets including naming rights, courtside branding and corporate hospitality. It can also offer opportunities for clients, employees and partners to participate directly through these kinds of social games, introductory sessions and company tournaments.
Hiscox returned as title sponsor for 2026, alongside a wider commercial roster which included Cupra and Benetti Menswear as co-sponsors, Yoplait Skyr as Premium Partner, Kinetica as Sports Partner and support from South Dublin County Council.
The tournament was promoted and delivered by ForeFront Sports in partnership with the Padel Federation of Ireland.
“It’s been an incredible week for padel in Ireland,” said ForeFront Group CEO Cian Branagan.
“Watching the courts at Star Padel, St Mary’s College RFC come alive with talent of this calibre, and seeing the Templeogue community embrace the tournament so warmly, shows exactly why we set out to build this event.
“Congratulations to all our finalists, and thank you to our sponsors, partners and volunteers who made it possible.”
The staging of the tournament within an established rugby club also offered another example of how padel can be incorporated into existing sporting sites.
Its relatively compact court footprint and pay-and-play model are encouraging investment from rugby, GAA, football, tennis and golf clubs, as well as schools, hotels and commercial leisure operators.
Sport for Business Perspective
The success of the Hiscox Padel Irish Open was not only in attracting international players. It was in showing how a relatively young event can bring together competition, sponsorship, participation and community engagement within one compact sporting environment.
Padel remains at an early stage in Ireland, particularly when compared with established European markets such as Spain and Italy.
That creates uncertainty around how quickly facilities can be developed and whether current levels of interest will be sustained. It also creates considerable opportunity.
For sponsors, operators and existing sports clubs, padel offers access to a growing, social and commercially attractive audience.
For the Hiscox Padel Irish Open, the challenge now will be to turn the momentum of its second edition into sustainable year-round engagement and an even stronger international event in 2027.
The Padel Federation of Ireland, ForeFront Sports and South Dublin County Council are full members of Sport for Business. Our coverage of Padel in Ireland is supported by Druid Padel.
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Image Credit: Ciarra Noonan, ForeFront Sports
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