Legends Padel organized the United Kingdom's inaugural over-65s ranking tournament at Padel4all in Bracknell on March 5-6, 2026. The event marked the start of unofficial 65+ rankings for senior players, who expressed a desire for more competitive opportunities in the sport. Winners included Jonathan Eagle and Stephen Gillott in the men's category, and Gail Corcoran and Jo Harpur in the women's.
The tournament, approved by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) as the UK's first for players over 65, highlighted the growing interest in padel among seniors. Founded in October 2024 by GB Seniors player Sally Fisher, Legends Padel focuses on training camps and competitions for age groups starting from 60 and above. Although the new 65+ rankings are not yet officially sanctioned by the LTA, they provide a platform for players to earn points through performances in upcoming events planned later in 2026.
Jonathan Eagle, who won the men's 65+ title alongside partner Stephen Gillott, called on the LTA to expand opportunities for older competitors. "Please add the over-65 category to tournaments already open for entry this year!" Eagle told The Padel Paper. He emphasized the importance of age-specific divisions, noting that five-year increments become more significant with age and predicting the emergence of an over-75s category soon. Eagle praised Legends Padel for demonstrating the high standard of play among older participants and urged organizers to include 65+ events alongside 60+ ones to sustain engagement.
Gillott echoed the positive atmosphere, describing the event as enjoyable and marked by sportsmanship. "It was great to play in the first over-65s ranking event, and of course really nice to win it," he said. "It was great to meet and play fellow over-65s, all of whom were very open and sporting. All matches were played in a great spirit."
In the women's draw, 73-year-old Gail Corcoran and Jo Harpur claimed victory. Corcoran welcomed the ranking system's status, which she said attracts competitors seeking to elevate their standings for future entries. "This is a competition that, for the first time, is attracting people for the ranking points and the status to improve their position if that becomes important in being able to enter other events," she explained. She highlighted how competitive play intensifies performance compared to casual club matches and stressed the value of precise age categories to accommodate varying experience levels, keeping more players involved.