This way, the Rafa Nadal Academy Powered by Richard Mille will have two Top-15 world players as franchise players.

Madrid, November 28, 2023 - Hexagon Cup, the new padel tournament whose mission is to transform the 20 x 10 sport, announces that Martita Ortega and Alex Ruiz, two widely recognized names in the padel world, have been signed by the Rafa Nadal Academy powered by Richard Mille team as franchise players to participate in the Hexagon Cup. With this news, the team's commitment and ambition are strengthened for the first edition of this innovative tournament.

Both Martita Ortega, currently ranked 4th in the FIP ranking, with 14 titles in her career and a two-time world team champion (2021 and 2022), and Alex Ruiz, a native of Malaga who holds the 13th position in the rankings, with 2 titles to his name and being a team world champion in 2021, have demonstrated their skill and talent on the padel courts throughout their careers. Their experience and success in national and international competitions make them ideal players to represent the Rafa Nadal Academy by Richard Mille team.

Maribel Nadal, Marketing and Commercial Director of the Rafa Nadal Academy, points out that "we are very excited to have Martita and Álex join our team. In addition to being two great players, for us the personal bond was very important as they both know the Academy well, they have been here several times and they love the project. We really liked their enthusiasm when we explained the Hexagon Cup project to them and they didn't hesitate for a second to join the team".

For her part, Martita Ortega declares that "I am very grateful to be able to be part of this team. For me on a personal level it's like a second family and it makes me very excited that they wanted to count on me from the beginning. We are always used to playing in pairs, but we really like the teams because you experience things differently. There is more pressure because you don't play only for yourself, but you have to play for a team, but at the same time you feel more supported. I think it's going to be a lot of fun. Besides, I know that in Rafa's team and his academy it's only worth giving everything and that's what we're going to do. Hopefully we can go all the way and win the title.

In turn, Alex Ruiz says that "I have always followed Rafa since I was a little boy and I am proud to be part of this team. I think the values that this academy transmits are very important and, as well as identifying with them, I try to transmit them on and off the court. I am a player who loves socialising, I am very social and I love playing as part of a team. I think the team competition is a very important step forward for padel, as the fans will be able to see other types of matches, and different combinations of couples that will be very attractive for the public. Hopefully we can take the victory!".

"The goal of Hexagon Cup is to become a tribute to padel and a prominent event on the global sports calendar where fans can enjoy the best male and female players in the world. Therefore, we are very excited to announce that two figures of the caliber of Martita Ortega and Alex Ruiz will be part of this great tournament," says Carlos Almazán, Hexagon Cup Sports General Manager.

An all-star tournament to take padel to another level

Born under the motto “For the Fans. For the Players. For the Game”, the Hexagon Cup is an innovative padel tournament that brings together male, female and Next Gen players (under 22 years of age), along with other prominent teams including the Rafa Nadal Academy powered by Richard Mille team, RL9 by the Barcelona FC footballer Robert Lewandowski, Team AD/vantage by legendary tennis player Andy Murray and ElevenEleven Team USA, owned by Eva Longoria and the recently announced Team Bella Puerto Rico, by Carlos López-Lay and María Esteve. Everyone competes for an impressive €1 million prize, creating an exciting team competition and an exciting experience for players and fans.

Each team owner has selected two franchise players who will serve as team captains. The addition of Martita Ortega and Álex Ruiz follows the confirmation of Alejandra Salazar and Paquito Navarro as franchise players of the Hexagon Cup team, while the rest of the players will be announced tomorrow..

Once the six teams and their franchise players have been revealed, the Player Draft will take place at the end of November, where the remaining players for each team will be selected. However, the Hexagon Cup team will have the exception that fans will be responsible for the final selection of players.

Team owners, along with their franchise players, will select four remaining teammates; one man, one woman and two "next gen" (under 22 years of age) during the Player Draft, which will take place at the end of November. In a single decision, fans have the final responsibility of choosing the players who will be part of the Hexagon Cup team, with this online draft currently open at www.hexagoncup.com, with final votes closing on Tuesday, 28 November.

During the tournament itself, the six teams will be divided into two qualifying groups, competing in a series of exciting head-to-head matchups. Only the top two teams from each group will advance to the finals, where the inaugural Hexagon Cup champion will be crowned, with a prize pool of one million euros up for grabs.

The first edition of the Hexagon Cup will take place in the historic Madrid Arena during the month of February, an ideal setting to create a great show. The event will include an attractive Fan Village with autograph signing sessions, player training areas, live concerts, entertainment, shops, exhibitions, food trucks and high-quality dining.

Abdullah Shelbayh will enjoy a very special few days when he plays in the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It will be the icing on the cake of a season in which the Jordanian has knocked down countless barriers, and he now has an opportunity to introduce himself to the world.

“It will be a great experience for me and a great opportunity to demonstrate my level and enjoy the big matches I’ll play against the best players in the world,” Shelbayh told ATPTour.com. “It’s a great opportunity”, he added. “And it’ll be really fun knowing that I’m in an Arab country. Particularly for my country, for Jordan it will be very special. Also for the tournament; having a player from the Arab region will be very exciting and fun. I think I’m really going to enjoy this opportunity.”

Shelbayh will be the first player from Jordan to compete in the tournament after receiving a wildcard. At 20 years of age, he has claimed wins on the ATP Tour this season at the events in Banja Luka and Metz, as well as becoming the first player from his country to win an ATP Challenger Tour title when he took the crown in Charleston in October.

“This year has been my first season on tour, but so far it’s been the best of my career in general,” said Shelbayh. “I managed to win my first Challenger title. It was very special, knowing that I had some very tough months this summer, and a lot of changes around me. It hasn’t been the best time off court, so it was fantastic to win that title at such an important time of year. Honestly, I’m very happy with the way I played that week.”

That victory in Charleston, which came in October with a win over Oliver Crawford in the final, provided a boost with 75 points (he is currently No. 187 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings) and allowed him to have an important conversation with Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion.

“He told me it was a big step in my career, and that I had to enjoy myself and not be content,” admitted the Jordanian. “He told me that I couldn’t be content with just one result because everyone is trying to improve at the same time, so you have to keep going with what you’ve been building. That doesn’t mean that you’re going to win all the big tournaments, but you have to keep up the good work and not let the important moments that will help you achieve your goal pass you by. It was very special to hear those words from someone like him, who has been my idol since I started to play tennis,” he commented.

“To describe Abdullah, you have to analyse his talent,” Nadal explained. “I think he’s a player with a very special innate talent, capable of doing things that most can’t. With his style of play, it makes opponents feel very uncomfortable. I know because I’ve trained with him a number of times. And he’s added something very important to that: in the last year and a half he has taken a step forward in the way he experiences tennis,” added the Spanish star. “Really, he has realised that what he wants is to be a professional tennis player and he is working very hard towards that. I can only congratulate him for his dedication and for his hard work and encourage him to continue on that road,” he added. “He’s had a very positive season, picking up good results and has climbed up the rankings. Now an amazing moment is coming up for him, playing in the Next Gen ATP Finals. I’d like to wish him all the luck in the world. I’m sure it’ll be a very special tournament for him.”

Shelbayh joined the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in 2018, when he was 14 and has not stopped growing since. How did the Jordanian end up at the Spaniard’s academy in Manacor? Through a connection between Toni Nadal and Shelbayh’s agent, Princess Lara Faisal, a member of the Jordanian royal family. Over those five years, Shelbayh has not stopped growing, as a player or a person.

“When he arrived, he was a boy that did things well, we could see he had a certain ability, but nothing more than that,” explained Toni Nadal, who has watched the player’s progress throughout that time. “As the years have passed, I think he has improved in almost every aspect of his game. In the last year, his improvement has been palpable and definitive. I think he has gained maturity and commitment,” he said. “He has a good chance of getting on the ATP Tour soon and he’s shown that in various tournaments playing against players who are among the best in the world. He has given them a good fight, and has even beaten some renowned players,” he recalled.

“If he maintains the same desire he has had recently, with the same willingness and the same commitment, I’m sure we’ll see him in the big tournaments soon, being one of the players that could challenge the best in the world,” he said. “For us, for the academy, it has been a great source of satisfaction because he’s a player that was completely trained on our courts.”

Indeed, Shelbayh trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy, working his way up to the achievements he has produced in 2023. A large part of the Jordanian’s success, of course, is due to the working structure he has in Mallorca, at the academy of the 14-time French Open champion.

“I’ve been at the academy for many years and it’s like my home,” said the 20-year-old. “I represent the academy in every match I play. It’s a big name to carry on your shoulders. I’m grateful for everything the academy has done for me, everything Rafa has done, and all the players at the academy,” he continued. “I remember arriving many years ago and I wasn’t expecting it to be so special, I wasn’t expecting to spend so many years here. Once you have a good environment around you, everything is much easier.”

“I think Abdullah is a different player, intelligent, unpredictable, and that’s what makes him fun to watch and a difficult opponent to read,” offered Carlos Moyà, Nadal’s coach and a former No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. “The chaos he has is very good, but if he can iron it out a little... he could be a player nobody wants to play. He hits incredible shots, and when you least expect it. The fact that he is unpredictable creates tremendous discomfort for his opponents. He mustn’t lose that and needs to improve his consistency a little more.”

What is the dream for any young player trying to become a professional? Practising with Nadal and his team, and being able to listen to his advice, must be high up most people’s lists.

“For me, personally, being able to train with Rafa, having Carlos Moyà and Toni Nadal there... that’s something I could never have imagined,” revealed Shelbayh. “I always dreamed of it, honestly, but now it’s a reality. I hope things continue in that way. I’m very grateful for everything they’ve done for me.”

Shelbayh will play his opener at the Next Gen ATP Finals on Tuesday against Luca Van Assche. The Jordanian and Frenchman are in the Red Group alongside Alex Michelsen and Hamad Medjedovic.

Source: ATPTour.com

Maribel Nadal, Anabel Medina and Tomeu Salvá took part in an exhibition with elite players for the inauguration of the first pickleball court on the Balearic Islands, at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar.

Manacor, 17 November, 2023.

The Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar and the entities Repueblo & Reimpulso held an event in which the Academy’s first pickleball court was opened, and where the first edition of the RSM Mediterranean Open-Mallorca Series was officially presented. The tournament takes place from 8 - 10 December in Manacor.

In the match, Maribel Nadal (the Academy’s Commercial & Marketing Director) and professional player Carlos Pérez took on Tomeu Salvá (the Academy’s Head Coach) and Taiwanese player Pei-Kao. The teams were captained by Anabel Medina, an Olympic medallist and head of women’s tennis at the Academy and Luis de Cristóbal, the Director of the Mediterranean Open, respectively.

After the match, a clinic was held in which 12 tennis players from the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar had the chance to familiarise themselves with the rules and techniques of pickleball at the hands of Pei-Kao and Carlos Martínez.

Following the event, Maribel Nadal was presented with the Honorary Stimulus Award in recognition of the social work in sport that has been underway for several years at the Academy.

Maribel had the following to say about the day: “Although we’ve always been focused on tennis, and subsequently on padel, it is always very satisfactory being able to promote racket sports. I’m told this is the first pickleball court on the Balearic Islands, so we’re happy to be able to give a boost to this sport, which I was able to see today and I thought it was very fun and dynamic. We can’t wait for the Mediterranean Open and for professional players from the USA, Spain, and all over Europe to be able to enjoy our facilities. It will also be a chance for many people in Mallorca to come and watch pickleball live for the first time”.

Carlos Pérez, one of the best European pickleball players, was very pleased to attend such a special event, and he spoke of his excitement at playing in the first tournament in two weeks’

time: “Playing the first Mediterranean Open at Rafa Nadal’s academy will give pickleball a very significant boost. It’s a dream and it will be definitive in putting this sport on everyone’s radar”.

Pei-Kao, who recently took gold at the national series in England, was in agreement: “This Open will not only offer the excitement of playing the game itself, but also the chance to play in a unique setting”.

This edition of the RSM Mediterranean Open-Mallorca Series will include players of over 20 nationalities and its director, Luis de Cristóbal, noted that “today we have taken one of the biggest steps in the history of pickleball in Europe. We can only enjoy this moment, which we will remember for many years”.

The event also announced the creation of a working group formed by the universities of Almería, Coruña, and Pontificia de Comillas, and social entities the Segunda Parte Foundation, Down España, Down Madrid, Repueblo, and Jubilenial to form the first adapted pickleball guide, the objective of which is to facilitate participation in the sport among differently abled people. It is an initiative that goes hand in hand with the NO LIMITS by Joola tournament that will take place on Friday 8 December.

Repueblo and Reimpulso are the entities organising the Mediterranean Open, which will include four annual tournaments and has already become a standard-setter, both nationally and internationally.

More information and interview arrangements:

Mediterranean Open:

Ana González: (+34) 686 201 188

media@mediterraneanopen.com

Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar

Antonio Arenas: +34 667885160

prensa@rafanadalacademy.co

Daniel Baranes and Mario Vukovic are the winners of the third 12 & Under Festival, a unique season-ending invitational event for Europe’s top performing players of the age group.

Held at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in Manacor, Mallorca, the Festival provides its players with an elite competition combined with a week of entertaining off court activities designed to celebrate their achievements throughout the year.

Baranes won an entertaining 2-hour battle with Britain’s Megan Knight in the girls’ final. The Israeli looked to be in the driving seat when she broke in the 11th game of the first set and went on a four-game run to establish a lead of a set and a break. Knight – who won their only previous encounter in Auray earlier this year for the loss of just two games – fought back to level the match with a tie break in the second. The title was decided by marathon 22-point champions’ tie-break, which Baranes eventually secured on her fourth match point.

Knight made it all the way to the final without the loss of a set, conceding just four games in six matches before her semi-final against Grace Bernstein. The Swede – playing at the 12 & Under Festival for a second time – pushed her hard in the second set of a 2-6 6-7 defeat.

Baranes (pictured, below) reached the finals of two Cat.1 1 12 & Under events in 2023 and claimed her first 14 & Under Tour title (in doubles, at Limassol). Having appeared on the victorious Israeli Summer Cups winning team, arguably her most notable achievement until now was a high-quality semi-final win over tournament favourite Darina Matvejeva. Incredibly, the Latvian had gone unbeaten throughout the entire season in singles, establishing a 46-0 win/loss record, including two comfortable wins over Baranes. On this occasion though the Israeli fought hard, keeping the match close and hitting some brave winners during both tie breaks of a 7-6 7-6 win.

The boys’ final between Mario Vukovic and Max Lorincik was the first meeting between the two players, though both had been on the national teams during the Summer Cups final, in which France defeated Slovakia back in August.

Vukovic struck first, breaking in the tenth game to take the first set 6-4. Lorincik then reeled off three games in a row to start the second set and seemed to have the set under control. Using some clever changes of pace, the French boy struck back, embarking on a six game run of his own, clinching the title on his first match point, 6-4 6-3.

Vukovic (pictured, below) has been in control from the very start of the tournament, registering five consecutive straight sets wins to reach the final, including a 6-3 6-0 dismissal of Francisco Sardinha (POR) in their semi-final on Friday. Lorincik could have been forgiven for being tired, having survived an epic semi-final on Friday evening when he edged past Vencel Fazekas (HUN) 7-5 2-6 10-6. Apart from that hiccup his run to the final was also smooth, topping his round-robin group after three comfortable wins.

The win marks Vukovic’s first singles tournament victory since Passagespoirs early in the season.

Following the singles finals, the players in action were greeted by their host and hero, the former world #1 Rafa Nadal, who congratulated them on their performances, expressed his hopes that they had enjoyed their time at the facilities, and encouraged them to keep working hard in the future.

Doubles

The doubles events finished on Friday night, with both matches highlighting the versatility of the singles finalists. The girls’ final saw Megan Knight team with the player she beat in the singles semi-finals earlier that day, Grace Bernstein of Sweden. There were no hard feelings between the pair though, as they combined effortlessly for a routine 6-2 6-3 win over Daniel Baranes and her partner Lou Sciacaluga (FRA).

Prior to his singles final, Vukovic had already tasted gold with victory in the doubles event. Teaming with compatriot Thomas Grévoul, the pair fought back from the loss of the first set to beat Francisco Sardinha and his partner Mikael Lehtinen (FIN) 3-6 6-2 12-10 after a nail-biting finish under the lights.

Festival

While the players made the most of on-court luxuries such as ball kids, line judges and umpires throughout the event, there were also plenty of off-court attractions provided by the hosts to ensure the ‘Festival’ atmosphere.

The opening ceremony included a Question-and-Answer session with the legendary Toni Nadal, who was happy to share his advice with the players and coaches, and later patiently posed for pictures with all the players. The competitors also took the opportunity to visit the Rafa Nadal Museum on site, celebrated at the Players’ Party and attended a special introductory Tennis Europe Junior School session, hosted by Chief Executive Officer Thomas Hammerl.

Mr. Hammerl commented, “In just three years, this tournament has become Europe's event of reference for players aged 12 & Under, who make it their goal to qualify for an invitation to play in Mallorca from the beginning of the season. We’d like to thank everybody here at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar for working so hard to ensure that the players have a memorable experience; this is a truly week that they will never forget. We’ve seen tennis of an exceptionally high level here this week without losing the emphasis on fun, and we’re already looking forward to the next edition.”