15 Sep Padel to the River Plate!

We were thrilled to learn that three East of Scotland Padel players have been selected for the Great Britain women’s squad of 11 who are currently competing, with the men’s squad, in Buenos Aires for the 2026 FIP Senior World Cup (14-19 September).

We caught up with the trio, as they were gearing up to set off on their South American adventure, to find out more. First up, Ashley Mears, who captained the East O60 Padel squad to success at the County Cup in Bristol recently and who, along with Rosie Dennis, was pictured leading the charge at the opening ceremony!

How did you become involved in Padel? 
“When I was coming back to squash after COVID I tore my meniscus in my knee and decided to give up squash and racquetball to avoid surgery. I had represented Scotland for senior squash many times and loved it but decided it was time to move on so tried pickleball and Padel. This was four years ago and I was not very good at Padel to start with.”

What’s the attraction, for you, of Padel? 
“Padel has 200+ shots so I just felt it had more variety, in attack and defence, with the glass, the metal fence and all the net play and different types of overheads.
“I did grow up playing tennis in Oklahoma but switched to squash at a US College (Smith College) at age 19 where I went from a beginner to 16th in the nation on the college tour by my senior year. 
“So I was slicing everything and the net was in my way on the Padel court! I really struggled and it took me a full one to two years before I started enjoying playing. I felt quite incompetent compared to all the tennis players who have such great groundstrokes and net play. But I just kept at it.
“I started getting coaching from Antonio Fernandez at Edinburgh Sports Club, group lessons and individual lessons from my second week of playing. I also joined the online Padel school for one year. Everyone taking up Padel should do this if they can.”

How did selection for the GB team happen? 
“I started playing local league games at ESC and local tournaments around Edinburgh at Grade 3 and 4. This led to Grade 1s and 2s in Scotland at first and then Middlesbrough.
“I then realised women my age were representing Scotland, and also GB, so I went to the Scotland trials and have represented Scotland for three years, where I was so happy to be selected.
“I then decided to try for the GB team and, fortunately, have an excellent partner in Rosie Dennis. We went in for the British Nationals – and also Grade 1 tournaments in Jersey and London – and won some of these as well as some Grade 2s which put us in a position to be considered for the GB team.  We are both currently ranked #1 in the UK for 60s.”

Have you met the other squad members? 
“Three of the 11 women on the GB team are from Edinburgh Sports Club which is a testament to the quality of women playing at the club and in the East of Scotland.
“We are lucky at ESC because it’s a mixed environment so we play a lot of mixed doubles – or just one woman and three men – so this has really allowed the women to progress and also gives us a very large pool of players with different styles, from table tennis, squash, tennis and badminton backgrounds who now play Padel. I also have a group of people, including my husband, willing to practice 1-to-1 and that has helped tremendously.”

How does it feel to have been selected for the GB team?
“I’m amazed and happy to have been selected and also find it hard to believe at times.  I put myself out there, openly trying as hard as I could, and it could have not happened.  I’m glad I had the courage to try, to say I was trying and to get coaching, and help from my coach, friends and family. It doesn’t matter if you’re a junior or over 60, no one can do it alone, it takes a lot of help along the way. I’m grateful to everyone who has helped me.”

Do you know the format of the event?
“The FIP Worlds start in Buenos Aires on Monday. There is one pair of men and women in age 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 and you compete as a team of women or men.  There are 36 countries present and the draw happens at the opening ceremony on September 14 when we’ll be put into eight groups. This will lead to a QF, SF and final for the top 8 and the other teams will also play to position.
“Spain and Argentina have been the strongest countries so far.  It’s all to play for!”