FIP World Cup qualification marks 'new era' for GB women's padel
• 3 minutes read
Great Britain's women sealed their place at the FIP World Cup for the first time since 2021 to herald what coach Libby Fletcher called a "new era for GB padel".
GB's women entered the European qualifier in Madrid as top seeds and completed a sensational week with a 2-0 victory over Poland to grab one of the two qualifying spots alongside Germany, who beat Denmark 2-1 in the other semi-final.
However, the British men's team narrowly lost out on a place in Doha this year after losing a six-and-a-half-hour battle against Germany 2-1.
Britain's top-ranked duo, Aimee Gibson and Catherine Rose, dropped just three games all week after sauntering past Julia Pacocha and Magdalena Kiszczynska 6-0, 6-2 in the opening tie of the semi against the Poles.
Competing in her first World Cup, Chloe de la Mare, 16, and Victoria Nicholas then had to dig very deep against Aleksandra Rosolska and Zofia Piorkowska for a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 triumph which sealed the team's passage.
At the FIP World Cup, which takes place from 2-7 November, GB will be one of 16 teams: Spain, Argentina, Italy, Portugal, Netherlands, Sweden, France, Brazil, Belgium, Qatar (hosts), USA, Paraguay, Chile, Great Britain, Germany and the winner of October's Africa-Asia qualifier.
After booking their ticket to Qatar, a jubilant GB women's coach Libby Fletcher said: "This is a new era for LTA Padel and GB players. Last year we showed Europe how strong we are and now we have shown that, with a 'one team' mentality, we are starting to bridge the gap between us and the more experienced countries.
"I could not be prouder of each and every team member this week. They all showed great team spirit and quiet determination to get the results they deserved. To qualify in the manner that they did for such a huge event is a major achievement for the team."
Fletcher also paid tribute to the role played by Iciar Montes, LTA Padel International Performance Coach, who joined the GB bench for the first time in Madrid this week.
"Working closely with Iciar and having her on the bench this year has strengthened our team," said Fletcher. "It is a real testament to the ambition that we have for the LTA Padel Performance Programme."
Montes herself added: "I feel honoured to be part of this project. It's a big milestone for GB Padel and I am happy to work with this group of players.
"I am proud of the performances that the players put on the court this week. It's not easy to make it into the top 16 teams in the world."
To qualify in the manner that they did for such a huge event is a major achievement for the team.
After an impressive start to the week for the GB men, their World Cup campaign ended in the semi-finals of the Qualifiers against a spirited German side.
There was an early setback when Sam Jones and Chris Salisbury went down 6-4, 6-7, 3-6 to Johannes Lindmeyer and Benjamin Fitzon, having served for the match at 6-5 in the second set.
LTA National champions Louie Harris and Alex Loughlan levelled the tie with an epic 4-6, 7-6, 7-6 comeback victory over Agustin Reca and Matthias Wunner.
That set up a nail-biting decider for GB No.1 Christian Medina Murphy and Alfonso Patacho against Christian Bohnke and Nick Merten.
After taking the first set, the British pair went an early break down in the second but broke back in the eighth. Murphy and Patacho lost a close tie-break to set up a third set decider, which eventually went the way of the Germans, finishing 6-4, 7-6, 6-4.
