The professional padel circuit heads to Brazil this week for the FIP Gold São Paulo, a high-stakes tournament offering 150 FIP Ranking points. As the race to the season-ending Finals in Barcelona intensifies, this event serves as a critical opportunity for players to climb the leaderboard and secure their spots in the year-end championship.
Tournament Contenders and Key Storylines
The men’s draw features a competitive field of 32 pairs, with significant attention focused on the battle for the final qualifying positions for the Barcelona Finals. Meanwhile, the women’s draw showcases 16 pairs competing for the title. Here are the top seeds and notable players to watch in São Paulo:
- José Jimenez and Alex Arroyo: Entering the tournament as the number one seeds, this duo leads the men’s entry list and will be looking to assert their dominance early in the competition.
- David Gala and Maxi Arce: As the number two seeds, their performance is particularly vital for Arce. Currently ranked 20th in the Race, the Argentine is hunting for points to overtake Javi Leal—who holds the 16th and final qualifying spot—to reach the Barcelona Finals.
- José Diestro and Juanlu Esbri: Rounding out the top three seeds in the men’s bracket, this pair is expected to be a major threat throughout the tournament.
- Juani De Pascual and Alex Chozas: This pair enters with momentum, particularly Chozas, who recently secured a victory at the FIP Gold San Luis.
- Jimena Velasco and Raquel Eugenio: Leading the women’s draw, Velasco (ranked 31st) and Eugenio (ranked 23rd) bring impressive form to Brazil, with a combined total of seven FIP titles between them so far in 2026.
- Lorena Rufo and Jessica Castelló: As the number two seeds, they bring significant experience to the court, having won the FIP Silver London and earned a runner-up finish at the FIP Gold Almaty earlier this year.
- Anna Ortiz and Maria Laura Ferreyra: The third-seeded pair features Ortiz, who gained notable experience reaching the round of 16 at the Paris Major as a lucky loser, paired with Ferreyra.
The main draw is set to commence on Thursday, with the tournament concluding with the finals on Sunday. Fans looking to follow the action can tune in via the FIP YouTube channel, which will provide live streaming coverage for all matches held on the centre court.
