DOHA: Bahrain, China, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Kazakhstan made winning starts in the men’s section of the FIP Asia Padel Cup, while Lebanon, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE emerged victorious in the women’s competition on the opening day of the seven-day championship at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.
In the men’s matches, Bahrain overcame Indonesia 3-0 in Group A to take an early lead, with Kuwait completing the group lineup. China defeated Thailand 3-0 in Group B, while Pakistan, the third team in the group, will begin their campaign on Saturday. Saudi Arabia outclassed South Korea 3-0 in Group C, with Jordan yet to play. In Group D, Kazakhstan defeated the Philippines 3-0, and Lebanon edged Japan 2-1. Only one team from each group will qualify for the last-eight stage, joining UAE, Qatar, Australia, and Iran, who advanced automatically based on FIP rankings.
In the women’s section, Lebanon beat hosts Qatar 3-0 in Group A, while Indonesia eased past Kuwait 3-0 in Group B. In Group C, UAE defeated Pakistan 2-1 and Saudi Arabia overcame China 2-1. Group winners will advance to the Final 8 alongside Australia, Japan, Iran, and the Philippines.
Saturday’s matches begin at 1:30 pm, featuring key men’s fixtures including Kuwait vs Bahrain, Pakistan vs China, Jordan vs Saudi Arabia, Japan vs Kazakhstan, and the Philippines vs Lebanon. In the women’s section, Qatar face Thailand, Bahrain meet Indonesia, UAE play China, and Saudi Arabia take on Pakistan.
The championship, featuring 17 men’s and 14 women’s teams, runs from October 17–24, with the group phase concluding on October 19 before the knockout rounds begin.
