Stockholm, Rome, Dubai, Bari… and Burriana. This week, the town of La Plana Baixa becomes the epicenter of the global padel world with the first event of the FIP Gold circuit, the FIP Gold Satine. This tournament will feature some of the world’s top players from leading padel nations, including Argentina, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Portugal, and Russia. In total, nearly 500 participants will compete for the title across the courts of Espadel Burriana—hosting the preliminary rounds—and the La Bosca pavilion, which houses the central court for the final stages.

This 2022 edition is particularly special for Burriana as it transitions from hosting a FIP Star (where participants started from the 50th position in the World Padel Tour ranking) to a FIP Gold (with only the top 16 players excluded).

Juanlu Esbrí, the Local Contender

Iván Ramírez (World No. 26) and Álex Arroyo (No. 37) will be the top-seeded pair, while Pincho Fernández (No. 33) and José Antonio García Diestro (No. 32) will be the second-seeded duo. Additionally, global padel stars like Argentine Matías Díaz (No. 59) will join the Valencian Armada, led by Castellón’s Juanlu Esbrí (No. 70), Miguel Ángel Solbes (No. 82), Salva Oria (No. 53), Fede Mouriño (No. 122), Carlos Martí (No. 119), and Matías Nicoletti (No. 175), among others.

In the women’s draw, Bárbara de las Heras (No. 23) and Verónica Virseda (No. 26) are the favorites to win the FIP Gold Satine Burriana, with Ariadna Cañellas (No. 36) and Mari Carmen Villalba (No. 24) listed as the second seeds. Valencian Marina Martínez Lobo (No. 42), along with Sofia Saiz (No. 47), both aged 19, will also attract significant attention during the tournament.

All these names were confirmed on Monday during the tournament presentation, which included participation from the Mayor of Borriana, Maria Josep Safont; the Sports Councilor, Vicent Aparisi; the Tourism Councilor, Sara Molina; Tiziana Pérez Peris, Executive Director of Satine; Liliana Dosdá, Marketing Manager of the company; David Olivas, Manager of Espadel; and Alfonso Monferrer, President of the Padel Federation of the Comunitat Valenciana.