FIP Silver HOP London: Spanish wins in Whetstone

Last weekend, The Padel Hub in Whetstone, north London, became the stage for the FIP Silver HOP London Padel Open. Organisers and partners hailed the tournament as the "largest and most competitive international padel event" ever held in Britain. More than 20 players from the world top 50 faced the strongest representatives of the British scene – in sweltering indoor heat and in front of a crowd that reflected how quickly the UK market is maturing.

International field in north London

The concentration of ranking points and experience made the HOP London Open a reference date on the FIP Silver tier. For British fans, it was a rare chance to watch world-class doubles live without travelling abroad. Support from the LTA and FIP underlined the ambition to keep London on the international padel calendar – with an eye on bigger formats such as London P1 in August.

Home Of Padel positioned the event as a "defining milestone": not only because of entry numbers, but because of match quality across the weekend. In a still young infrastructure landscape, a tournament of this scale signals to investors, local authorities and young players alike that padel in the United Kingdom is building serious competitive structures.

Women: top seeds prevail

In the women's draw, the seeded favourites dominated. Spain's Lorena Rufo Ortiz and Jessica Castelló López, both inside the world top 25, took the title. In the final they met Amanda Lopez Moral and Carla Touly – a Spanish-Italian pair seeded fourth. The winners prevailed comfortably 6-1, 6-4, leaving little doubt about their form.

After the match, Rufo Ortiz and Castelló López stressed their teamwork: "We are proud to get the win in London. We put in so much work together on and off court to achieve results like this and it is great to have conquered the title here in the HOP London Open." For the FIP tour, a clear win by the top seeds is a quality marker; for London, it shows the women's elite is willing to travel to the British capital.

British thread in the women's draw

British interest focused on Catherine Rose, GB number two, who reached the quarter-finals with Portuguese partner Constanca Gorito. Their run ended there against the eventual champions – still a respectable result showing how close the domestic top can be to international level when fitness and pairing align.

The absence of Aimee Gibson, British number one and the tournament's poster player beforehand, slightly dampened the mood. After a severe calf tear she was not yet fit enough for her comeback. She hopes to return on 12 June – a date the British scene will watch closely.

Men: Spanish final in Whetstone

In the men's event, the trophies also went to Spain. Second seeds Alejandro Arroyo and Javier Martínez beat Pol Hernandez Alvarez and Guillermo Collado Losada, the third seeds in the final, 6-4, 6-3. Arroyo is ranked 21 in the FIP world rankings; together with Martínez they produced a fast, tactically mature doubles game.

The winners treated the event as ideal preparation: "This has been very good practice for London P1 in August. Players are always very happy to be visiting new cities for Premier Padel events and London is a great landmark, to where players will come all full of energy to make a good result." The statement links Silver success with the larger Premier Padel outlook in the same city.

• FIP Silver HOP London Open at The Padel Hub, Whetstone.
• More than 20 players from the world top 50 in the draw.
• Women's title: Rufo Ortiz / Castelló López (6-1, 6-4).
• Men's title: Arroyo / Martínez (6-4, 6-3).
• Rose / Gorito reach the women's quarter-finals.

Organisers and meaning for UK padel

John Leach and Javi Serrats of Home Of Padel drew a clear balance: "The success of the HOP London Padel Open 2026 marks a defining milestone for our organisation and for the growth of international padel in the UK, with a large number of British players competing against the best of the best." With the LTA and FIP as partners, they delivered what the country had not yet seen at this sporting level.

Combining an elite field, media presence and inspiration for the next generation was an explicit goal. Leach and Serrats stressed they had created a world-class platform that showcases talent, strengthens grassroots padel and anchors London internationally. For clubs, sponsors and spectators, that means padel in Britain is no longer only a boom narrative but measurable competition at the highest level.

Calendar, media and outlook

The link with London P1 in August gives the Silver event strategic depth. Players use such stops to adapt to hall conditions and crowd pressure; for London, a spring-summer arc emerges as a recurring host in the European competition.

For British development, balance remains key: attracting international stars without overshadowing domestic talent. That is exactly where the HOP Open concept aims – British pairs in direct comparison with the world's best. When Catherine Rose and, later, Aimee Gibson again draw momentum from such events, the credibility of the whole system grows. The weekend in Whetstone delivered a convincing picture: Spanish titles, a British quarter-final, a full hall and an organising team already looking at the next international step.