Hexagon Cup: The Unofficial Kickoff to the Padel Season

The padel calendar has its official start dates… and then it has the event that feels like the start. For many fans, that’s the Hexagon Cup: a team-based, mixed-gender spectacle that reliably kicks off the year with colour, noise, and storylines that run through the entire season.

What Makes the Hexagon Cup Different?

Instead of classic “pair vs pair” tournaments, the Hexagon Cup is built around franchises. Each team usually has:

• 1 men’s pair

• 1 women’s pair

• 1 Next Gen pair (young talents)

Ties between teams are decided across these three matches. It’s not enough to have one superstar duo; you need depth, chemistry and a solid plan for every category.

The Unofficial Start of the Season

Why does it feel like the real kickoff?

• New pairings debut here. Fresh partnerships often choose the Hexagon Cup as their first public test.

• Players return from off-season. You see who used their break well, who looks sharper, who’s still in “holiday mode.”

• Fans calibrate expectations. A couple of days in Madrid (or wherever it’s hosted) and everyone has hot takes about the year ahead.

By the time the trophy is lifted, people are already saying: “This team’s the real deal” or “That partnership won’t last until summer.”

A Different Kind of Pressure

Because it’s team-based, players don’t just represent themselves:

• A rookie Next Gen player might carry a whole franchise in a deciding match.

• Established stars feel the weight of owners, teammates and fans watching every point.

• Mixed-gender visibility means the women’s team can be every bit as decisive as the men’s.

This structure gives lesser-known names a bigger spotlight and makes upsets feel even more dramatic.

What the Hexagon Cup Reveals Each Year

You can almost treat it as a season preview:

• Which aggressive pairings are still reckless vs. smarter and more controlled?

• Which Next Gen players look ready to break out on the main tours?

• Which veterans still have the spark when the arena is full and the cameras are rolling?

It’s not a ranking event like a Major, but in terms of narrative power, it’s massive.

Practical Tasks

For fans & content creators:

• Make a “Hexagon Cheat Sheet”: list each team, their three pairings, and your expectations (strongest link, weakest link, X-factor).

• During the tournament, note one surprising player in each category: men, women, Next Gen. Use those names as a watchlist for the rest of the year.

• After the event, write a “Biggest Overreactions” post: which narratives from the Hexagon Cup are likely to age badly?