International Padel Federation made its debut in South Africa with the FIP BRONZE SOUTH AFRICA 2025 tournament in Johannesburg — the first FIP-ranking event ever held on South African soil. It marked a historic opportunity for many local talents to compete against international players and earn their first points on the official FIP world ranking. The tournament also carried the potential for a remarkable record: crowning the oldest champion ever in an official FIP event.
The tournament took place from 18 to 20 April 2025 at the padel courts of Balwin Thaba Eco-Village, in southern Johannesburg. Top seeds were the Portuguese duo Zé Meireles and João Caiano, followed by the Spanish-Italian pair Giulio Farabbi and Víctor Ortega. One of the main attractions was the fourth-seeded team formed by Spanish legend Willy Lahoz, a 53-year-old former world champion and World Padel Tour winner, and Miguel Oliveira, a standout player from the A1 circuit with multiple finals and titles to his name.
Among the top local contenders were Richard Ashforth and Egmond Van Heerden, seeded sixth and boasting the most international experience among South African players, having just returned from a European tour with appearances in Italy and Finland.
The action kicked off on Friday, April 18 with the round of 32, giving local pairs the honour of playing for the first-ever official FIP points in South Africa. On Saturday afternoon, the round of 16 saw seeded teams begin to assert dominance: Farabbi and Ortega (2) overcame wildcards C. Davids and S. Loock, while Meireles and Caiano (1) cruised past M. Alimomade and M. Alimomade. Meanwhile, Oliveira and Lahoz (4) showcased their strength against G. Hefer and J. Hewitt (WC).
Later on Saturday, the quarterfinals brought exciting matchups. Oliveira and Lahoz (4) stunned Farabbi and Ortega (2) in straight sets, and Meireles and Caiano (1) advanced after beating L. Landais and M. Fontaine (7). In a tighter contest, the Spanish duo J. Masferrer and A. Roglan Pons (3) defeated M. Bendel and G. Eduardo Molina (5). The last semifinal spot came down to an all-local clash, with Ashforth and Van Heerden (6) prevailing over W. Kuhn and A. Van Harte (8) in a thrilling 5/7, 6/4, 6/3 battle.
Sunday’s semifinals featured high-level play. Masferrer and Roglan (3) dominated Ashforth and Van Heerden (6) in straight sets. In the second semifinal, Oliveira and Lahoz (4) faced the top seeds Meireles and Caiano (1) in a three-set duel full of momentum shifts, eventually winning 6/1, 3/6, 6/2.
In the grand final, Oliveira and Lahoz (4) defeated Masferrer and Roglan (3) 6/3, 6/4, crowning Willy Lahoz as the oldest player to ever win a FIP tournament — a record likely to stand for years to come.
The event was a resounding success for players and fans alike, fulfilling its mission of launching South African players onto the international stage and opening the door for them to rise through the FIP rankings in the years ahead.
