A FIP Gold that already looks like a major tour event
Held atAdd Padel Almaty, the tournament runs from March 31 to April 5, with a prize money of 50,000 euros, 150 FIP points and a main draw starting on Thursday. The FIP presents it as the first FIP Gold to be held in Kazakhstan, a strong signal for a country seeking to put padel firmly on the international map. Indoor conditions are likely to favor faster matches, where the volley, the bandeja and the management of hot moments will weigh heavily.
What’s most striking is the density of the field: over 30 players from the world’s top 100 are announced, including eight members of the top 25. On the men’s side, Martin Di Nenno, ranked 12th in the FIP rankings, and Momo Gonzalez, 15th, immediately add another dimension to the tournament. In the bottom half, Javi Leal arrives with the confidence of his FIP Platinum title win in Marseille, alongside Pablo Lijó. Around them, pairs such as Martin Abud/Miguel Lamperti, Alex Arroyo/Pablo Garcia, Curro Cabeza/Mariano Gonzalez and Jose Diestro/Maxi Sanchez Blasco guarantee a field with no easy rounds.
Osoro-Iglesias paint a very credible picture of a woman
On the women’s side, Aranzazu Osoro and Victoria Iglesias will start as top seeds. The Argentine is ranked 19th in the world, the Spaniard 20th, and their return to the tour together is no mere coincidence: the pair previously won in Turin and Veracruz in 2025. Behind them, Ana Nogueira and Lucia Sainz pose a real threat. In fact, Sainz is set to win three CUPRA FIP Tour titles in 2026, proving that there’s more than just one favourite duo.
Jessica Castelló/Lorena Rufo and Jimena Velasco/Marta Barrera complete a coherent big match-up, dense enough to make the semifinals look like a real high-level test. This is undoubtedly what makes the week in Almaty so interesting, beyond the simple result: if the seeds hold their own, this first major Kazakh event can provide a solid showcase for local padel and establish the tournament as a date to watch on the CUPRA FIP Tour.
