UK Padel announces new Masters series
UK Padel Masters Championship
You’ve still got it. Prove it!
That’s the call from UK Padel, which has announced a national Masters championship for players aged 35 years and over.
Qualifiers kick off in October at Rocket Padel in Bristol, followed by We Are Padel in Derby and Stratford Padel Club in London. The final qualifier is pencilled in for Spain or Portugal in February 2026, with the final scheduled for March at a venue to be confirmed.
Age groups are 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+ and 60+ (70+ isn’t yet sanctioned by the LTA). Eligible players must hold a British passport and compete with a fixed partner throughout the series. Seedings will be based on relevant LTA rankings, with tournament finalists required to commit to participating in the Masters Finals, which are planned to feature eight pairs per age group.
“This is the competition our Masters players have been waiting for,” said Mark Ayers Director of Events for UK Padel “Top-level competition, national visibility and the ultimate chance to prove who truly belongs among Britain’s best.”
Nick Baker, CEO of UK Padel, described the series as an ‘exciting new chapter’ for players supporting their events, adding: “We loved the [padel] Four Nations and to build backwards from that with this series to provide another national stage for our most experienced players to compete at the highest level is exciting. Hopefully it plays a key role in developing our Masters pathways towards national and international representation. We’re proud to offer this opportunity to showcase the depth of talent across all Masters age groups as, quite frankly, they have lifted up padel in the UK.”
For full details and to register your interest in the Masters click here. For players aged 70 years and over, UK Padel has a tournament at its Stoke Poges club in Buckinghamshire on August 6.
Over 40 County Champs
Competition was fierce at the recent UK Padel Over 40 County Championships, held at Rocket Padel, Bristol.
The weekend opened with the Mixed competition, which produced some of the most gripping drama yet seen in the series. Defending champions Yorkshire were pushed to the limit in a high-stakes semi-final clash against the Channel Islands, narrowly advancing through a thrilling Championship shoot-out – an extended sudden-death tie-break that has become a signature feature of the County Series format.
Yorkshire resilience set up a final against Essex, where once again, with the teams locked at one rubber apiece, Yorkshire found themselves back in the shoot-out and under the spotlight. Showing remarkable composure, Yorkshire stormed to a 10-4 victory in the deciding tie-breaker to retain their Mixed title.
Ben Oakes and Sarah Lochrie won the first string for Essex (against Thomas Sanders and Sophie Cousins) 6-3 6-2. Michael Tolman and Susie Azoulay won 6-2 6-2 against Freddie Jenner and Jane Lau before Cousins and Tolman defeated Lochrie and Jenner in the Championship shoot-out
Watch the Mixed winning moments here.
Sunday focus shifted to the Women’s and Men’s Championships. In the Women’s competition, Sussex took Essex all the way in their semi-final, forcing yet another shoot-out, before Essex progressed to the final. But the final belonged to Yorkshire, who delivered a ruthless display of quality and control to secure the Women’s crown, overturning last year’s final disappointment with a statement performance that left Essex with no answer. Yorkshire secured the Women’s title with Sophie Cousins and Sally Fisher defeating Sarah Lochrie and Jane Lau 7-5, 6-4, and Susie Azoulay and Nathalie Gill beating Louise Baker and Helen Cook 6-2, 6-2.
In the Men’s Championship, Surrey and Yorkshire produced a high-class final that embodied the spirit and rising standards of the series. Both rubbers showcased outstanding shot-making and tactical discipline, but it was Surrey who managed to stay one step ahead, edging out Yorkshire in two tight straight-set battles. Gareth Nicol and Craig De Silva won 6-4 7-6 against John Dunseath and Michael Tolman, with an empathic 6-1 6-2 win for Ali Anderson and Kirk Jackson against Ben Gudzelak and Thomas Sanders in the other pair.
Looking ahead, the County Championship Series continues in September with the Over 60 County Championships plus another new launch from UK Padel – the first-ever Junior County Championships in November, a landmark moment aimed at nurturing the next generation of UK padel talent and building a true cradle-to-seniors competition pathway.
Full details of UK Padel events here. 🎾
