The Cyprus Olympic Committee has confirmed a historic decision to include Padel at the 20th Mediterranean Games, "Taranto 26", marking the sport's first-ever appearance at the Games.
A new sport with growing reach
According to the Cyprus Olympic Committee, Padel, which in Cyprus falls under the Cyprus Tennis Federation, is one of the newest additions to the country's sporting family, despite having already built significant international reach.
"We want to thank the Cyprus Olympic Committee for including Padel in the delegation," said Dimitris Leontis, President of the Cyprus Tennis Federation. "It's a new sport for Cyprus, even though it has been established in Europe and around the world for many years."
"Our experience so far at a major international event relates to participation in a European championship. We hope for a good showing," he added.
Six-athlete squad, three event categories
Cyprus's Padel delegation consists of six athletes: Sergis Kyratzis, Christopher Koutrouzas, Petros Chrysochos, Giovanna Knezevic, Maria Siopacha and Lena Savva. Cyprus will compete with one men's team, one women's teamand one mixed team. The men's and women's competitions begin on the morning of Saturday, 22 August, with the first round of the mixed event taking place that afternoon.
Federation's largest Mediterranean Games squad to date
The Cyprus Tennis Federation is sending 11 athletes in total, its largest-ever presence at a Mediterranean Games. The wider team also includes tennis players Menelaos Efstathiou, Eleftherios Neos, Andreas Timinis, Raluca Serban and Andrea Georgiou Papakyriakou. Cyprus's previous Tennis participation numbers at the Games were: Latakia 1987 (2), Bari 1997 (2), Tarragona 2018 (4) and Oran 2022 (3).
Athletes hope for Olympic recognition
Sergis Kyratzis, a former tennis champion now competing in Padel, said of the sport's first participation: "We thank the Cyprus Olympic Committee for the opportunity given to us. We're happy to take part and hope for a good draw, so that we can have the chance for a similarly good run."
"I hope that the sport, which has been embraced and is developing rapidly around the world, will soon find its place on the Olympic programme too," he added.
