Not every padel player can attend a professional, high-level competition. You must be ranked, but there is also an alternative for all those who do not have a position in the ranking. This alternative is known as a Wildcard.

AS A PADEL PLAYER, YOU CAN COMPETE THROUGH A WILDCARD

A Wildcard in padel is an alternative for players to enter tournaments like the World Padel Tour. This system is already well-known in other sports, and it has also worked well in padel and continues to exist today. Below, we tell you everything you don't know about a Wildcard.

What is a Wildcard?

In the sports world, this method is also known as an invitation card. The word "wildcard" means "joker" or "free pass" in English. It refers to players who participate in a competition not because of their ranking position, points, or classification, but because they are invited by the organizers of the competitions to be played.

How it works in padel

Taking the highest professional competition as a reference, it is the World Padel Tour. To qualify for one of its tournaments, you must be within certain ranking positions. To obtain Wildcard invitations in padel, it is done through local or internal competitions with the candidates, to select the winners. The number of invitations can vary depending on the tournament. For example, in a World Padel Tour tournament, it is most common to have one or two invited pairs. On the other hand, independent padel federations can grant Wildcard invitations to those they consider their best players. For some years now, the World Padel Tour main draw has included two Wildcards. To this end, a qualifying tournament is organized to award the Wildcard. This gives players from other parts of the world, who are looking to earn their first official points and compete in the highest padel circuit, more opportunities to move up the ranking.

How to get an invitation card?

A Wildcard in padel to participate in an official tournament must be personally requested by the pair wishing to participate. At most, they must request it no less than five days before the registration deadline for the event in question. The player sends the application including some observations such as their sports history and proof of the Wildcard granted by the authorizing Federation. For the pre-qualifying stages, a maximum of three Wildcards will be awarded for the women's category and four for the men's category. If the tournament is held outside Spain, two Wildcards are granted. One of them by invitation, and the other through a qualifying tournament.

Making history as a Wildcard.

After obtaining a Wildcard at the La Rioja Open, the young Argentine pair formed by Tino Libaak and Leo Augsburger made history at the World Padel Tour. First, they are the youngest pair to play a final. But they have also become the only pair to reach a final as a tournament Wildcard, after beating Lamperti and Bellauti in the semifinals.

Images: World Padel Tour