Cover Celebrity exhibition matches kicked off day one of the Tatler Padel Series in Hong Kong (Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong)
Celebrity exhibition matches kicked off day one of the Tatler Padel Series in Hong Kong (Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong)
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Celebrity exhibition matches, a DJ set that turned into a Cantopop singalong and 43 pairs fighting it out on a single court: how Hong Kong's first Tatler Padel Series weekend served up three days of sport, style and community
The lights were up, the rackets were out and the crowd was singing along to Anita Mui. From October 23 to 25, the inaugural Tatler Padel Series Hong Kong took over Pick & Match Airside for three days of high-stakes rallies, celebrity showmanship and the kind of buzz that only a city this competitive can generate.
The Hong Kong event was part of the Tatler Padel Series 2026, Asia’s first premium padel tournament, which is bringing together more than 2,000 players, enthusiasts and members of the Tatler community across seven cities. Designed for today’s leaders, the series reflects the growing role of sport as a form of social currency, where performance, recovery and connection intersect. Presented by Standard Chartered and powered by Lacoste, with Pick & Match as venue partner, the Hong Kong edition of the tournament delivered all three in style.
Players were divided into Bronze, Silver and Gold divisions according to their skill level. The action began on Friday afternoon, with the first Bronze men’s group matches setting the tone. By 7pm, the venue was full for the opening ceremony, followed by two celebrity exhibition matches that had the crowd on its feet. In the first, singers Kenny Kwan and Kelvin Kwan took on supermodel Gaile Lok and entrepreneur Sean Lee-Davies. In the second, Olympic fencer Cedric Ho and TV host Brian Chan faced content creator Chris Tong and Hong Kong’s number one padel player Vincent Chau. Both matches delivered the mix of competitive pride and good-natured banter that makes padel such a natural social sport.
Off court, DJ Hyphen of Social Club Series kept the energy high from the opening ceremony onwards, shifting later in the evening into classic Canto-pop by the late Anita Mui and turning the venue into a very glamorous singalong. Guests sipped on Whispering Angel rose wine, Young Master pale ales, Higherthan highballs and Eve Bliss functional wellness drinks as the evening rolled on, while two more Bronze Men’s group matches rounded off the evening.
Gaile Lok and Sean Lee-Davies (Photo: Him Lam/Tatler Hong Kong)
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If Friday was the party, Saturday was the grind. From 9am until late evening, players across the divisions battled through a packed schedule of group stages, with the Bronze men and women taking the court during the morning and early afternoon before the Silver men’s groups carried play into the night. Every pair knew that a place in the semi-finals, and a shot at the prizes, was on the line.
By Sunday, the field had narrowed, and the stakes had risen with it. A marathon of semi-finals led into six best-of-three finals played back-to-back, with the Gold men’s final closing the day, before the trophy presentation ceremony brought the weekend to a close.
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Six pairs earned the title of Hong Kong champion. On the women’s side, Ha Tung Yi and Helen Ho took the Bronze title, Emily Young and Tamara Gutierrez Ortega claimed Silver, and Venise Chan and Annabelle Bond won Gold. In the men’s competitions, Neus Julysses Talavera Caragay and Yow Ko took Bronze, Vincent Li and Tomas Choukroun won Silver, and Chau and Dasson Chan Kwok Shun ended the weekend as Gold champions.
The rewards were well worth chasing. Each champion pair took home a trophy and a cash prize of HK$15,000 for Gold, HK$10,000 for Silver and HK$5,000 for Bronze, while every champion also received HK$5,000 worth of Lacoste vouchers, with runners-up receiving HK$2,000 vouchers. All players left with an IM8 Essentials Starter Kit. All six champion pairs also earned a place at the Tatler Padel Series Grand Final in Singapore on November 21 and 22.
Hong Kong is the latest stop on a series that has already travelled through Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Singapore. Up next is Shanghai and the season culminates with the Grand Final, where the winners from each city will meet.
Our thanks go to Standard Chartered, presenting sponsor; Lacoste, powering the series; and Pick & Match, our venue partner, for helping make the weekend what it was.
As Content Director at Tatler Hong Kong, Tara shapes the brand's editorial vision across social, digital and print. She also drives the planning and execution of Tatler's flagship IPs. In her dual role as Head of VIP, she reports on Asia's most influential figures — from CEOs and leaders across business, style and the arts — curates star-studded events, and builds the relationships and communities that define the brand. Born and raised in the Middle East, she honed her craft in Dubai, crafting communication strategies for luxury brands across the Gulf. Follow her on Instagram @tarasobti.
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