Teammates Rafik Romaney and Chris Hodgson walked away winners of the first leg of the double-header Padel show in Paarden Eiland, Cape Town, on Friday night.
Sporting charity and events brand Padel4Good continued to break new ground in the South African Padel community by hosting their first-ever back-to-back shows, which started last night and concludes today with an Elite Ladies competition, kicking off at noon.
Competing in the Men’s tournament that saw 32 players (16 teams) rated between 1 and 2.8, Romaney and Hodgson excelled through the round-robin stages before meeting fellow finalists Paul Spagnoletti and Greg Walsh on the center court of the Virgin Active Padel venue, located just a few kilometers down the road from Milnerton Beach.
While Romaney and Hodgson have only been playing together for a very short period, the connection between the two athletes was something to appreciate as they understood each other throughout the game, which ended 5-2.
Romaney, the more experienced player, having played for almost two years, did well to captain his team’s ship.
Romaney provided top shot selection, offered a calm presence on the court, and helped guide his teammate, suggesting when to make a play, while Hodgson made more runs, showcasing his athleticism and skill set.
Both Romaney and Hodgson are quick to praise each other.
“We are not playing long together, but you can see that Chris is the natural ... he has only played
20-odd games thus far, and you can see how he performs already, so I play in his shadow. Today, I brought the real deal to the show,” said Romaney.
“He is the master, and I am his apprentice,” interjected Hodgson with a giggle.
Last night’s event was another great advertisement for the immense growth Padel4Good enjoys in South Africa, as new faces were aplenty, including Hodgson, who won on debut.
“I have only been playing for the last six months," said Hodgson.
"I have started playing more regularly these last few weeks. I am a uni (university) student so I play when I can, this is my first Padel4Good tournament, but it definitely won’t be my last one. This sport is growing so rapidly and you can see the talent and skill, especially at shows like this, is just on another level. It’s only going to get better from here on in,” added Hodgson.
Today, some of the Western Cape’s top Padel ladies will take the courts in what promises to be a humdinger event as players rated between 2.5 and 5 on the PlayTomic App will showcase their skills on the Virgin Active courts.
Padel4Good was founded in 2023 and uses one of the fastest-growing sports in the world to help transform the lives of vulnerable women and children by donating all proceeds and profits from the show, along with the help of sponsorships, to charities and homes across the Western Cape.
If you’d like to enter a Padel4Good tournament, check out the Padel4Good Instagram page for more details.
IOL Sport