Key Takeaways
- Rome’s Stadio Olimpico will stage the fifth Italian Padel Awards on 16 September 2026.
- Legend awards will go to Paquito Navarro and Maxi Sanchez, with Aimar Goñi named the Rising Star.
- As part of the ceremony, Maxi Sanchez will present a technical project that will see him relocate to Italy and help develop padel in the country.
Italian Padel Awards return to Stadio Olimpico for fifth edition
World-class players, coaches and leading sports figures will gather in the Tribuna Autorità at the Stadio Olimpico on 16 September 2026 for the fifth Italian Padel Awards. The Corriere dello Sport-Stadio event, held annually in late summer in Rome, recognises outstanding achievements by professionals, clubs and innovators across the padel industry.
Alessandro Lupi, a television presenter and Sky Sport’s padel voice, will serve as the gala’s host and Content Director. Corriere dello Sport-Stadio editor Ivan Zazzaroni will join him on stage, alongside notable representatives of Italian politics and sporting institutions.
Eight award categories honour international stars and leading Italian names
Honours will be presented in eight categories: Legend, Rising Star, Club, Coach, Team, Ambassador, Travel and Italians. Former world number ones Paquito Navarro and Maxi Sanchez are the two Legend recipients. After winning over local fans at the first Italy Major Premier Padel in 2022, Navarro will return to Rome for another warm reception. Sanchez, meanwhile, will look back on more than 20 years at the highest level and introduce a new technical project that includes relocating to Italy to support the growth of the domestic game.
After world number one Arturo Coello identified him as a future regular on Premier Padel and in Spain’s national squad, Spanish prospect Aimar Goñi will be presented with the Rising Star award. Team honours go to the Italian national squad in recognition of its medal-winning displays at the Mediterranean Games.
Full list of honourees at the 2026 Italian Padel Awards
| Category | Recipient / Nominee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Legend | Paquito Navarro | Former world number one and fan favourite |
| Legend | Maxi Sanchez | Former world number one launching technical project in Italy |
| Rising Star | Aimar Goñi | Tipped for Premier Padel and Spanish national team |
| Team | Italian National Team | Honoured for success at Mediterranean Games |
| Italians | Noa Bonnefoy & Michele Brambilla | Gold medallists at World University Championships in Malaga |
| Italians | To be revealed | Third recipient announced during the ceremony |
| Ambassador | Pierluigi Pardo & Anna Safroncik | Media personality and actress recognised for promoting padel |
| Club | Golden Goose Arena (Milan) | Managed by Demetrio Albertini via Milano City Padel |
| Coach | Roberto Agnini | Technical director of C.C. Aniene with 10 Serie A titles |
| Travel | Padel Travel | Pioneering travel agency founded in Costa del Sol in 2018 |
Gold medallists Noa Bonnefoy and Michele Brambilla, the university world champions in Malaga, are among the Italians category recipients, with another winner remaining undisclosed until the gala. The Ambassador awards go to journalist Pierluigi Pardo and actress Anna Safroncik. Roberto Agnini is named Coach after earning his tenth Serie A championship as technical director of C.C. Aniene, while Demetrio Albertini will accept the Club award for Milan’s Golden Goose Arena. The newly created Travel honour will be presented to Padel Travel.
Sanchez and Ustero: Paris triumph, results and ranking
In 2026, Sanchez and Ustero have compiled a 36-12 win-loss record as a pair. Their latest appearance came on 13 September, when they won the Paris Major 2026 by beating Fernandez (world no.6) and Calvo (world no.8) 6-2 6-0 in the final.
