Inclusive Padel Tour returns to Maidenhead

The Inclusive Padel Tour returned to the United Kingdom last weekend and painted a vivid picture at Padel Maidenhead of what inclusive padel can look like in practice. Disabled and non-disabled athletes competed together, providing a powerful example of the sport's inclusive strength. For many spectators, it was more than a tournament day: it was a statement that competition, fairness and community on court need not be limited by barriers.

A total of 32 pairs from the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands gathered in Maidenhead to showcase an exceptional standard of play. At the same time, the event remained true to the Inclusive Padel Tour's core mission of breaking down barriers through sport and giving people with different backgrounds a shared stage. International participation underlined that inclusive padel is attracting attention well beyond national borders.

Elite level meets community spirit

Throughout the tournament day, visitors witnessed high-level matches, inspiring teamwork and an atmosphere defined by encouragement, friendship and togetherness. The games offered not only sporting tension but also insights into the tactical variety of adaptive padel. Teams combined precise net play with clear communication and showed how different physical abilities can become a shared competitive strength.

For host venue Padel Maidenhead, it was the second consecutive year of welcoming the tour. The club is thereby consolidating its position as a central address for inclusive padel in southern England. The event combined competition with an open, welcoming framework in which players of all abilities were visible and celebrated.

High-profile support from the padel scene

The event drew several leading figures from British and international padel. Steve Yeardley, Head of Padel at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), was on site and highlighted the tournament's importance for the national calendar. Also present were Tom Farquharson and Sandy Farquharson from The Padel School and Pep Stonor from Empower Padel. Their presence signalled that inclusive padel is no longer taking place on the margins of the scene but is increasingly at the centre of sporting development.

Steve Yeardley, LTA Padel Manager, described the Inclusive Padel Tour as one of the most inspiring events on the UK padel calendar. The weekend in Maidenhead had shown how disabled and non-disabled athletes can compete together at an exceptional level. The passion, collaboration and sense of community had been remarkable. Yeardley congratulated everyone involved and stressed that the future of inclusive padel in Britain is incredibly bright. The LTA supports initiatives that help make the sport accessible to all.

Voices from players and organisers

Kristen Paskins, Great Britain's No.1 female wheelchair padel player and Padel Maidenhead ambassador, said the weekend demonstrated exactly what inclusive padel should look like. Every player, regardless of ability, had the opportunity to compete, challenge themselves and be part of something special. The hope is that the event will inspire more clubs, coaches and organisations to help grow adaptive padel across the UK.

Phil Basford, Founder and CEO of Padel Maidenhead, emphasised that from day one the ambition has been to create a club where everyone feels welcome. Hosting the Inclusive Padel Tour for a second year reinforces that commitment and shows what is possible when accessibility and inclusion are placed at the heart of a sporting venue.

Accessibility as a foundation

Padel Maidenhead implements concrete measures to make the sport accessible to players of all abilities. The club offers step-free access throughout, fully accessible changing facilities and sports wheelchair access to every court. This infrastructure provides the basis for events like the Inclusive Padel Tour to be inclusive not only in symbolism but in practice.

Organisers hope the continued growth of the tour will encourage more clubs across the UK to invest in accessible facilities and help make adaptive padel available to even more players. In a market where the number of courts and active players continues to rise, formats of this kind are gaining strategic importance for grassroots sport.

• 32 pairs from five countries competed in Maidenhead
• Second edition of the tour at Padel Maidenhead
• Support from the LTA, The Padel School and Empower Padel
• Wheelchair access to all courts and accessible infrastructure
• Focus on competition, team spirit and community

Particularly striking was the blend of competitive intensity and open enthusiasm in the stands. While pairs remained focused in decisive rallies, a shared sense of responsibility for the further development of adaptive padel grew around the courts. Coaches, volunteers and representatives from governing bodies used breaks to exchange views on standards, training concepts and the role of accessible facilities in the sport's growth.

With the return of the Inclusive Padel Tour to Maidenhead, the British padel calendar once again received a strong signal for inclusion and sporting excellence combined. The event linked international participation with local roots and showed that adaptive padel at the highest level is possible when clubs, governing bodies and the community act together.