A growing staff for British padel
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) announced on February 20, 2026 the appointment of Iciar Montes as International Performance Coach in padel. The Spaniard will join the performance team and shoulder Libby Fletcher, focusing on the Great Britain women’s national team at training camps and international competitions.
This arrival is part of a project launched over a year ago: the LTA has structured a genuine performance pathway (training courses, follow-up, promotion of coaches’ skills) to move British padel from a development rationale to one of achieving results on the international scene.
In a 2026 calendar that is already becoming denser with the announced arrival of the Premier Padel P1 in London from August 3 to 9, the move confirms the schedule’s build momentum.Already present in the organization chart, Agustin Gomez Silingo, recruited by the LTA in May 2025, is now switching to the men’s collective. On the court, the LTA also indicates that John Leach will take on the role of captain for the men, while Sandy Farquharson will continue to provide his expertise on more transversal subjects. The aim is to establish routines closer to those of the major nations, starting this season.(LTA press release)
In a quote published by the LTA, Tom Murray sums up the idea: “From selection to competition preparation, Iciar’s influence will be felt throughout the schedule”, with a stated obsession: getting the British to play with confidence at the highest level.
A padel legend at the service of a project
Montes arrives with an impressive track record. As a player, she was world No.1 for 12 years and won nine world titles (in doubles and with Spain). Since 2016, she has been at the helm of the Spanish women’s national team: under her guidance, La Roja have piled up five world crowns and three European titles, with a particularly memorable “double” in 2024.
As for her agenda, it goes beyond the simple framework of national teams. Since 2023, she has been working with the LTA on coach training, and in 2025, the FIP chose her to head up the FIP Beyond Tour, a circuit designed for the amateur ecosystem (juniors, seniors, former pros, legends). President Luigi Carraro spoke of a project “dedicated to over 30 million players” worldwide(FIP).
LTA’s expectations
The role is highly operational: presence at national camps, contribution totalent identification, participation in selection choices, travel to FIP-approved team events and, above all, accompaniment on the court throughout the season. Montes will also be responsible for promoting the skills of British coaches through courses, workshops and clinics.
On the court, the impact is often in the detail: a better-positioned bandeja to guard the net, a sharper víbora when the ball comes out, and a quicker reading of trajectories before the promotion. Simple cues, but decisive when matches get stuck on two or three points.
To remember:
- Priority to the Great Britain women’s national team, in partnership with Libby Fletcher.
- Silingo switches to the men’s team with a more complete staff.
- The big match-up goal is to standardize the “elite” requirement while strengthening the national network.
