How Enrique Buenaventura is Shaping the Padel’s Future
In a captivating episode of The Joy of Padel Podcast, host Minter Dial sits down with Enrique Buenaventura, founder of the Hexagon Cup and former Formula E executive. Their conversation reveals how this innovative team competition is transforming Padel, bringing together celebrity team owners like Eva Longoria and Robert Lewandowski with the world’s top players in an exciting new format.
From hitting balls as a 12-year-old in Madrid to creating one of Padel’s most talked-about tournaments, Buenaventura’s journey offers fascinating insights into the sport’s evolution. He started playing at Club Internacional de Tenis alongside Spain’s earliest champions, witnessing firsthand how the game has changed from a tactical battle to today’s power-driven spectacle.
“When we started playing, it was very different,” Buenaventura recalls. “The corner shot where the wall faces the net was typical. Now that has disappeared.” He still owns his first racket, a Sola Belgique model from the legendary Roby Gattiker, representing a time when strategy trumped raw power.
The idea for the Hexagon Cup emerged from a simple observation: while Padel was growing globally, media attention remained focused on Spanish and Argentine players. Buenaventura saw an opportunity to create something different – an international team competition that could capture audiences worldwide. Drawing from his Formula E experience, he developed a format where teams represent different regions but can draft players from anywhere, similar to how Ferrari might have French and Spanish drivers.
The tournament’s unique structure includes six players per team (hence “Hexagon”), mixing established stars with next-generation talent. Each team has celebrity owners or business figures passionate about growing the sport in their regions. Eva Longoria’s involvement brought mainstream attention, with the actress discussing Padel on CNN to her 10 million Instagram followers.
Perhaps the most intriguing element is the “fans’ team” – the sixth franchise owned by the league itself, where social media followers voted to select players to join team captains Paquito and Alejandra. This innovative approach to fan engagement resulted in exciting partnerships that might never have happened in traditional tournaments.
Behind the scenes, Buenaventura made crucial decisions that shaped the tournament’s success. The choice of a slower court surface sparked debate but proved vital in creating longer, more engaging points. “If you put a slower turf, it will level everyone,” he explains. “The points will be longer and people will enjoy it more.” The strategy worked – spectators remained glued to their seats despite luxurious hospitality areas nearby.
Looking ahead, the Hexagon Cup plans to alternate between male and female next-generation players each year, maintaining equal prize money across genders. The tournament’s pre-season timing and format were carefully designed with player input to avoid conflicts with other tours while ensuring competitive matches.
For football star Robert Lewandowski, who owns one of the teams, the tournament represents a future opportunity. While his current contract prevents him from playing, he’s already planning for post-retirement involvement, hinting at potential new categories for celebrity players.
The tournament’s success has sparked new initiatives, including the Rafa Nadal Academy announcing a seven-event amateur tour in Spain. This ripple effect suggests the Hexagon Cup might be just the beginning of Padel’s transformation into a truly global sport.
What makes this story particularly compelling is how Buenaventura and his team managed to unite various stakeholders – from top players to governing bodies – during a period of uncertainty in professional Padel. By focusing on collaboration rather than competition with existing tours, they’ve created something that adds to the sport’s ecosystem rather than disrupting it.
As the podcast concludes, Buenaventura hints at future developments, leaving listeners wondering about potential expansions to cities like Miami, France, or even the UK. Buenaventura’s focus isn’t exclusive to business but also on entertainment and the fan experience, he plans to make the sport accessible by working toward perfecting his events by starting with minor events and scaling up toward bigger events.
What’s clear is that the Hexagon Cup represents more than just another tournament – it’s a blueprint for how traditional sports can evolve to meet modern entertainment demands while respecting their core values.
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