Team USA Takes Narrow Lead Over Great Britain in Inaugural Anglo American Padel Cup

The first-ever Anglo American Padel Cup opened with Team USA establishing a narrow 24-16 lead over Great Britain after a dramatic day of competition featuring elite padel players from both nations. The tournament began at Padel Hub North London with an emotional Opening Ceremony that included live performances of national anthems by acclaimed operatic tenor Alexander Wall and remarks from event co-founders reflecting on 174 years of sporting rivalry between the two countries.

Across both Open and Age Group divisions, Friday's 10 matches delivered high-quality padel with many contests going the distance. Of the 40 points available on Day 1 from a total of 96 across the tournament, Team USA managed to secure several crucial victories in tightly contested matches. The Americans particularly excelled in close encounters, most notably in the Women's 50+ category where Andi Neugarten and Sarah Levy edged out their British opponents in a thrilling match tiebreak, winning 7-5, 4-6, (11-9).

Team GB found success in the Men's Open division, where Cameron Dollimore and Nick Hatchett delivered a commanding performance to defeat the American pair of Andrew Herring and Kevin Ye 6-4, 6-2. Britain's Ellie Tait and Laura Jackson also put in a strong showing in the Women's Open category, securing an important win for the home team and building momentum ahead of Saturday's deciding matches.

Bill Ullman, co-founder of the Anglo American Padel Cup, emphasized the significance of the event, stating that Day One demonstrated exactly why the competition was created. The tournament represents a new chapter in the historic GB vs USA rivalry through the world's fastest-growing sport. With 50 of the 96 total points still available on Saturday, the competition remains wide open for what promises to be an incredible finale to the inaugural event.

Team GB Women's Open Captain Ellie Tait expressed pride in her team's performance and highlighted the incredible atmosphere and sense of national pride throughout the competition. She noted the enjoyment of spending time with American players while sharing the love of the game that brought all participants together. The remaining matches on Saturday will feature mixed doubles and featured finals worth 56 points, with play beginning at 10:00am and the Closing Ceremony and Prize Giving scheduled for 19:30.

The Anglo American Padel Cup will debut in London on October 10-11, 2025, before crossing the Atlantic in 2026 when the United States will host the competition. This marks the first-ever annual Great Britain versus United States padel competition, creating a new chapter in this famous sporting rivalry that showcases some of the finest talent from both nations across Open and Age Group divisions for men and women.