The Rafa Nadal Academy Team will aim to conquer the third edition of the Hexagon Cup

15.10.2025

RNA Editorial.

The Hexagon Cup, the team padel tournament that has revolutionized the international scene, has completed its highly anticipated draft, thus defining the lineups that will compete for the title at Madrid’s Caja Mágica from January 28 to February 1, 2026.

The event, which will bring together the biggest stars of padel alongside rising young talents, has produced balanced teams full of talent and contrasting styles. With the draft completed, each franchise has added male and female players, as well as Next Gen members, who have already been confirmed. Eighteen of the world’s top twenty players will take part (including eight of the men’s top ten and the entire women’s top ten). Agustín Tapia, Arturo Coello, Gemma Triay, Delfina Brea… a lineup almost impossible to beat, and one that even the world number ones didn’t want to miss.

“The level of the teams is incredible, and the ambition of each one of them means this edition is set to be the most competitive so far,” said Sergio Lewin, Operations and Sporting Managing Director of the Hexagon Cup. “You can tell that the teams are refining their strategies more and more when building their rosters: betting on young players, introducing new franchise stars… The team format, mixing styles, strategies, and generations, guarantees excitement from the first point to the grand final. We want the public to experience padel like never before.”

The innovative team-based format of the Hexagon Cup — with eight squads competing over four days before the final rounds on Sunday — turns every match into a strategic, high-intensity spectacle. This model, blending elite competition and entertainment, has made the tournament one of the most eagerly awaited events on the international calendar. Unprecedented pairings throughout the year add even more brilliance to this unique competition.

Once again, the Next Gen category plays a key role: the young talents not only bring freshness and energy but were decisive in last year’s outcome. This group of emerging players has become one of the main attractions, showing that padel’s new generation is ready to challenge the sport’s established stars. This year, the alternation rule means the category will feature men’s pairs. All the Next Gen players selected by the teams are currently ranked among the world’s top 150 — a generation destined to dominate global padel in the years to come. Youth and spectacle guaranteed.

The Rafa Nadal Academy Team, runner-up in the first two editions, introduces an exciting addition this year with Pablo Cardona, a player who combines youth and explosiveness. Just two years ago, Cardona competed in the tournament as a Next Gen player — in 2026, he returns as one of the best players in the world.

Rafa Nadal Academy Team (Runners-up in 2024 and 2025)

• Men’s Team: Franco Stupaczuk and Pablo Cardona (new signing)
• Women’s Team: Gemma Triay and Marta Ortega (pair remains unchanged)
• Next Gen Team: Enzo Jensen and Ramiro Valenzuela