Meet Jamie Lobo - the rising GB padel star set to make his Euro Padel Cup debut this summer
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Jamie Lobo might be an unfamiliar name to many British padel fans — but you've probably heard of his great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather..
His full name is Jamie Lobo Wordsworth, and although he grew up in Andalucia, he is a direct descendant of the famous English Romantic poet William Wordsworth through his mother's side of the family.
The 19-year-old is bilingual, having learned English through his grandfather Charles Wordsworth and during regular trips to visit some American cousins. He has a dual British-Spanish passport and came on to the radar of the Great Britain padel selectors after visits to the UK to play in LTA Padel National Tour Grade 1 and 2 competitions.
Lobo was "really, really happy" to be one of three new names announced in the men's squad for the FIP Euro Padel Cup in Madrid (7-13 July) alongside fellow debutants Alex Loughlan and Tom Farquharson.
The rebranded and revamped version of the European Championships is split into three phases. GB will enter in the second phase on 11 July as one of four top-ranked nations at that stage along with the Netherlands, Sweden and Germany. The four respective group winners will progress to the final phase, at an as-yet unknown date or venue, where the four top seeds (Spain, Italy, France and Portugal) join the fold.
Lobo found out about his breakthrough selection for the GB team whilst playing at a tournament in France. "They said they were going to text me in the afternoon and I had already convinced myself, 'Maybe next year!'" he laughs. "When I got the news it was a really, really nice surprise. I was really happy. I called my dad and texted my family straight away."
For the last three years, Lobo has been based in Seville where he trains full-time with renowned coach Javier Pena (coach to world no.26 Victoria Iglésias) at the R2 Padel Italica club.
As a junior, Lobo made his way up through the local padel scene and was at one stage ranked no.2 junior in the Andalucia region. Since he's been competing in the adult ranks, he's been getting good results locally in Spain, playing in FIP tournaments and visiting the UK to compete and hold coaching clinics with friend Ethan Bardo.
Lobo speaks impeccable English but with a slight American twang. "I'm trying to make my accent a bit more British, so maybe I can get some lessons when I'm with the squad in Madrid!" he jokes.
He has already attended three training camps with the GB team at the National Tennis Centre in London and will soon head to the Netherlands for a training block with his new team-mates in the build-up to Madrid. He plans to pair up with Nikhil Mohindra at a FIP Silver in Utrecht to test out their synergy for a potential partnership at the FIP Euro Padel Cup.
"I'm really excited because it will all be new to me," he says. "I didn't expect to be in the GB team so quickly, but I will certainly be getting in the best shape I can so I can play my best padel. I know there will be pressure, but I want to have fun and demonstrate the level I can play at."
In competition, Lobo switched from the left to the right side earlier this year after pairing up with an experienced left-sided playing partner. "I don't really have a big smash, but I am good at getting lots and lots of balls in. I'm not a risky player, but I try to be really consistent and solid," he says.
"That's my personality really. I'm not really a party guy. I'm a calm person. All I do is train, play, eat, sleep and repeat!"
