Warwickshire O60s Take on National Padel Championships in Bristol

Written by Warwickshire Tennis

Warwickshire’s O60 players were in action at the National Padel Championships in Bristol from 4–6 September, with the county’s men’s and ladies’ squads taking on strong opposition from across the country.

The continued growth of padel was clear to see, with 26 counties represented and the standard of competition continuing to rise year on year. With more established padel clubs and increasingly strong county squads emerging across the country, the championships now feature two divisions – Navarro (Division 1) and Bella (Division 2).

Warwickshire’s ladies competed in Division 1, while the men took their place in Division 2.

It proved to be a gruelling weekend of padel, with Warwickshire’s players pushing themselves hard throughout the competition. Representing the county was a real honour for the squads and, despite the intensity of the matches, a highly enjoyable experience.

Ladies Win Division 1 Plate

Warwickshire’s O60 ladies’ team was made up of captain Debbie Morrison (Kenilworth), Carolyn Lindsay (Kenilworth), Lucy Emsden (Kenilworth), Rachel Woolford (Solihull Arden) and Allison Binns (Edgbaston Priory).

The ladies produced a fantastic result, winning the Division 1 Plate and securing Warwickshire’s place in the top division for 2027.

With several counties facing relegation to Division 2, the Plate play-offs were fiercely contested and attracted plenty of spectators hoping to see their teams retain Division 1 status.

Group Matches

Warwickshire opened their campaign against Avon in a contest that produced one of the most dramatic finishes of the weekend.

Rachel Woolford and Carolyn Lindsay faced a strong Avon pairing who took their match in straight sets. Lucy Emsden and Debbie Morrison then fought hard to win the opening set before Avon responded by taking the second.

The deciding tie-break went point-for-point and drew a crowd, with some excellent rallies keeping spectators on the edge of their seats. Avon eventually edged it 14-12, securing a 2-0 overall victory.

Warwickshire then faced an extremely strong Gloucestershire team.

Debbie Morrison and Allison Binns matched their opponents through the early stages of the first set, reaching 3-3 before Gloucestershire secured the crucial break and went on to take the set 6-3. Gloucestershire established themselves further in the second, winning 6-2.

Carolyn Lindsay and Lucy Emsden also battled hard, but their opponents proved too strong, taking the match 6-1, 6-0.

The quality of the opposition was underlined by Gloucestershire progressing to the semi-finals, where they were eventually beaten by Yorkshire, who once again claimed the overall ladies’ title.

Plate Semi-Final: Warwickshire v Essex

The pressure increased as Warwickshire moved into the Division 1 Plate competition, with their top-flight status at stake.

Debbie Morrison and Allison Binns pushed hard to secure a break in both sets against Essex, producing an excellent 6-3, 6-3 victory.

Carolyn Lindsay and Lucy Emsden then took the opening set 6-3 before Essex fought back strongly in the second. At 5-5, the Warwickshire pair held their nerve to take the set 7-5, sending the county through to the Plate final.

Plate Final: Warwickshire v South Wales

South Wales provided the opposition in a closely fought final.

Rachel Woolford and Lucy Emsden gave Warwickshire the perfect start with an impressive 6-0, 6-3 victory, producing some excellent padel along the way.

Debbie Morrison and Allison Binns then faced a huge battle in the second match, with little separating the pairs throughout.

After almost two hours of point-for-point and game-for-game competition, the Warwickshire pair stayed strong when it mattered most. Both sets went to tie-breaks, with Debbie and Allison eventually coming through 7-6, 7-6.

The victory spared Warwickshire the prospect of a deciding Championship Tie-Break shootout and, most importantly, confirmed that the county will remain in Division 1 next season.

Men Battle Through Competitive Division 2

Warwickshire’s O60 men’s team was led by captain Allen Hubbard, alongside Chris Paden and Stephen Hussey (all Kenilworth), Gary Hyde (Four Oaks) and Daljit Nahil (Padel Haus).

Allen and Gary, who also competed in last year’s championships, were particularly struck by how much the event has grown in just 12 months and by the significant improvement in the overall standard of play.

Warwickshire competed in Division 2 and faced five county matches across the weekend.

Strong Start Against Cornwall

Saturday began positively with a convincing 2-0 victory over Cornwall, giving Warwickshire an excellent start to their campaign.

They then faced Berkshire, who secured a 2-0 victory over Warwickshire.

A win against Hampshire was needed to keep Warwickshire in contention and both matches proved extremely close. Despite pushing their opponents all the way, Warwickshire narrowly lost both, bringing a competitive first day to an end.

Tie-Break Drama on Sunday

Sunday began against Wiltshire and produced another extremely close encounter.

The two counties finished level at 1-1, meaning the result came down to a deciding Championship Tie-Break. There was almost nothing between the sides, but Warwickshire suffered an agonising 11-9 defeat.

The team had one final opportunity to finish the championships on a high when they faced Oxfordshire.

Once again, a Championship Tie-Break was required in the second match. This time, however, the Warwickshire pair held their nerve to secure the win and complete an excellent 2-0 victory over Oxfordshire.

It was a fitting end to a highly competitive weekend for the men, with several matches decided by the finest of margins.

The squad can be proud of their performances against strong county opposition and will return next year with valuable experience gained from this year’s championship.

A Proud Weekend for Warwickshire

With the standard of county padel continuing to rise, the National O60 Championships provided a fantastic opportunity for Warwickshire players to test themselves against leading players from across the country.

For the ladies, winning the Division 1 Plate and retaining their place in the top flight was a fantastic achievement, while the men showed they can compete strongly in Division 2, finishing their weekend with victories over Cornwall and Oxfordshire.

Congratulations to all of Warwickshire’s O60 players on a fantastic weekend representing the county, and a special congratulations to the ladies on their Division 1 Plate victory!