The Azorean leg of the MEO Empresas Corporate Padel League by Negócios 2024 saw a significant increase compared to the first edition, with 17 teams, including five women's teams, after only 12 teams competing in 2023.
The event that unites Portugal's fastest-growing sport with the business world took place last Sunday, April 3, on the eight courts of the Azores Padel Club, in Ponta Delgada, and selected four more finalist teams for the final at the Oeiras Padel Academy, in Lisbon, between April 12 and 14.
Participating in the competition were teams from Açorbase, APC - Clube de Padel Açores, Bensaude, Finançor Agro-Alimentar, Future Procedure, GNR, MEO Empresas, Sata Air Açores and Serviel. In the men's section, one of the winners was the real estate company Future Procedure Lda., from Caldas da Rainha, which took advantage of the event on the island of São Miguel to take a veritable entourage of 30 people to the Azores. "We came two days early to get to know the island, but with the main aim of taking part and winning," says Nuno Roberto, president of the Caldas Padel Club. Goal achieved and more than surpassed: "I also took the opportunity to visit this club - it's incredible - I met the owner, and we're already talking about creating synergies for the future. This is also what padel represents, the ability to create networking."
The other men's team in the final was the home team, APC - Clube de Padel Açores, with captain Martim Sousa highlighting the importance of events like the MEO Empresas Corporate Padel League by Negócios 2024. "It makes perfect sense: it brings a lot of people together, some from outside the region. In social terms, it's fantastic," says the athlete who played tennis and beach tennis before falling in love with paddle tennis. João Almeida, one of the APC's managing partners, echoes his athlete's words and praises the virtues of this racquet sport for a tourist region like the Azores: "It's an opportunity for sports tourism. These are tourists with extremely high purchasing power who don't travel alone. We can see from the stands the audience it attracts."
Considering that paddle tennis in the Azores is still a "growing baby", but that it is already taking its first steps, he announced his desire to increase the club's capacity by the end of the year, which currently stands at eight indoor courts. "Our days are always full, it really is a growing sport."
On the women's side, Carla Vale was thrilled that her team - Açorbase Sociedade de Mediação Imobiliária, representing ERA Ponta Delgada - made it through to the final in Lisbon. Confessing that she's not a padel player yet - "I just throw the ball the other way" - the team captain gives a very positive assessment of the Azorean stage. "The Azores Padel Club hosted the MEO Empresas Corporate Padel League for the second time at a very high level. This year was a qualitative step up from last year." Proud to lead a team like ERA Ponta Delgada, Carla Vale sees padel as much more than a sport, she sees it as an escape. "If it continues the way it is, São Miguel's psychologists and psychiatrists will go out of work, because padel has done a tremendous amount of good for people's minds. Socially, it's a second home, it's impossible to go home without coming here."
The captain of the other finalist team - MEO Empresas Azores II - also shares the same idea. For Sílvia Dias, paddle tennis is "a sport with a great social aspect. And this club has that component: when we come to play, we end up spending an hour socializing". After years of playing beach tennis, Sílvia has been playing padel for about a year and highlights what made her like the sport. "There's a tactical part that's very important in the game, it's not just hitting the ball, it's knowing how to play with the glass. And you learn to play very quickly."
Regarding the Azorean leg of the MEO Empresas Corporate Padel League by Negócios 2024, he considers the result to be very positive, "even though it was a real struggle". His thoughts are now turning to the final in Lisbon. "We know the level is very high, but we're going to do everything we can to dignify the Azores." The four teams that made it through the Azorean stage thus join the other four that made it through to the final in Batalha: the Betinatêxteis Lar and NOS Comunicações teams in the men's competition; and the Betinatêxteis Lar and MEO Empresas teams in the women's competition.
Tournament in high demand
The director of Altice's commercial department in the Azores, Luís Cabral, couldn't hide his satisfaction at the staging of the MEO Empresas Corporate Padel League by Negócios 2024 in Ponta delgada. After its debut year, the tournament has already gained a foothold, with several companies seeking out the league. "This year we've seen a lot of companies sign up, a lot of our partners, without us having to make a big push. In other words, the event is already gaining a lot of traction and is attracting a lot of companies."
That's why he has no hesitation in saying that it was a winning bet and one that should be maintained. "We've supported several events in the Azores, because padel has attracted young people, but also people of decision-making age in the business world, which is essential for networking." With a background as a tennis player, Luís Cabral has also allowed himself to be "bitten" by the padel bug. And in this year's edition, Altice Açores innovated, taking advantage of the tournament to also do team building. "50% of the team are MEO employees, which was very good for strengthening team spirit. We then invited some partner companies to play with us, such as Finançor or Bensaúde, with whom we have a relationship of trust. This tournament allowed us to create a networking moment, to talk a bit, in a more relaxed context."
Once again present at the event, this year the Bensaúde Group had a women's team as well as a men's team. "Bensaúde is a very important company in the region and its impact is measured not only in terms of business, but also socially. This year there was something new, the women's team. It's always good to cultivate team spirit, to meet people and paddle tennis is a sport that not only has potential, but is here to stay," says Sofia Silva, a lawyer at INSCO (part of the Bensaúde Group).
Sérgio Botelho, a store director at Worten, emphasizes the social responsibility that Bensaúde has towards its employees. "It's very important for a company the size of Bensaúde, which has many employees, to have this opportunity to socialize with colleagues who play padel and whom we didn't know played. Padel, being a sport that brings together different age groups, has been important in creating these bonds. Here's to more!"
Jornal de Negócios