These numbers would be enough to explain the extraordinary success of the historic Padel Trend Expo, the first Italian event entirely dedicated to padel held from Friday, January 13, 2023 to Sunday, January 15 in Milan. Enthusiasts from all over Italy, a country that is enjoying one of the highest growth trends on the planet with more than 7,000 courts and nearly 1 million practitioners, filled the Fair during the three-day event, participating in the numerous entertainment activities organized by Next Group, an integrated communication group in collaboration with the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation.
Top players, top international coaches and VIPs, all together to certify that padel is no longer a fad but a sport with a vision and an increasingly bright future.
Starting with the Masters, real padel "gurus" such as Martin Echegaray, Marcela Ferrari, Maxi Castellote and Gustavo Spector spoke at Allianz MiCo, with exclusive clinics reserved for Fair visitors. From the Masters to the top players who enchant the world with their spectacular plays. The fans in attendance were able to meet, see in action and even play with world champions and international pros of the caliber of Martin Di Nenno, Miguel Yanguas, Gonzalo Rubio, Mati Diaz, Veronica Virseda, Jessica Castello, Luca Bergamini, Tolito Aguirre (his plays were spectacular), Juan Restivo, Alvaro Montiel, and many others. Our Italian players could not be absent, such as Carolina Orsi and Emily Stellato, bronze medalists at the recent world championships in Dubai and again the Italian champion Marco Cassetta, along with Marcelo Capitani, Lorenzo Di Giovanni, Michele Bruno, Luca Mezzetti, Alessandro Mezzetti, Francesca Campigotto, Saverio Palmieri and Alessandro Cervelletti.
Who after hanging up their boots have found a real passion in padel. Saturday afternoon saw the staging of the special event of the Italy Padel Tour by Bombeer: captained by Bobo Vieri, twelve former stars of the green rectangle (Toni, Locatelli, Panucci, Di Biagio, Candela, Fiore, Giannichedda, Maini, Amoruso, Adani and Budel) battled it out in front of the hundreds of people who packed the stands. The former soccer players were also protagonists of the match between World Champions (Antonio Cabrini and Andrea Barzagli) against humor champions Jimmy Ghione and Moreno Morello, in a match seasoned with fun, laughter and merriment.
Lots of fun shows on the stage and unprecedented matches in the fields with the participation of VIPs and former international sportsmen and women such as Esteban Cambiasso, Junior Cally, Hugo Sconochini, Claudio Coldebella, Paul Griffen, Damiano Pippi, Mark Iuliano, Alberto Cisolla, Claudio Galli, Pasquale Gravina, Cristiano Doni, Francesca Piccinini, Davide Silvestri, Francesco Oppini, Cristian Zenoni, Tik Tokers Nunzio Fresi and Tommaso Donadoni, and Sarah Maestri, the latter ambassador and star of the "Fashion Padel" tournament that closed the three-day Fair, sponsored by the City of Milan.
The Padel Trend Expo also reserved a space for social inclusion, to send the message of a sport suitable for all age groups and all types of disabilities. Spectators were able to thrill as they watched live the European Padel Mixto event (pairs formed by a normally able-bodied player, referred to as "standing," together with one in a wheelchair, referred to as "sitting") with the participation of exponents from as many as five countries (Italy, Spain, Vatican City, France and Ukraine). The event, organized by ASD Sportinsieme and supported by the Entain Foundation, featured Oscar Agea, the world's top Spanish wheelchair padel player. Also in the field for inclusiveness was the Bionic People association, led by Alessandro Ossola.
A clear testimony of how padel and inclusion can really travel on the same track, the track of sports promotion at all levels. Finally, the conference part was also very well attended, both for the transversality of the topics, but especially for the level of the different speakers present in the Milanese capital.
CARE actively participated in the fair, bringing its innovative racquet rental solution for newcomers and for testing new racquets, showing inside its booth how the service works.
Also on Sunday, January 15, he promoted and managed a panel within the Inspiration Hub where he involved to speak on stage: Sportclubby, Playtomic, Padelists Anonymous, Padel Review and Eyes On. A time of sharing with the theme of Padel at the center, but seen from the user's side and the services offered between innovation, social and equipment.
The 2023 edition closed with a great success ready to replicate in 2024.
