Padel tournaments don't usually come with spectacular ocean views. Then again, this one was hosted by Audemars Piguet.
For its first Pro-Am Padel Tournament, Audemars Piguet brought friends and family of the brand to Île de Bendor, an island just off the coast of the South of France, for a day of competition, fine dining, and extremely good views.
Audemars Piguet recently became Official Timekeeper of the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour and welcomed world No. 1 Agustín Tapia into the AP family. Naturally, the brand’s first major gathering around the partnership called for something more personal than watching from the sidelines.
The morning began with an amateur tournament that saw the island’s temporary residents trading resortwear for rackets and testing their game on courts overlooking the Mediterranean. Friends of the brand and invited guests competed in pairs, working their way through the draw for the chance to be crowned the champions.
Following the competition, four of the world’s leading padel players, including Tapia, took to the court for an exhibition match. The format erased the usual distance between professional athletes and amateurs. The pros shared the court, engaged with guests, and brought the speed and precision of elite padel directly into the experience.
For Audemars Piguet, that proximity is the point. Played in pairs and built around constant communication, padel has quickly become a sport whose appeal extends far beyond the professional tour. A match can be fiercely competitive without becoming overly serious, which explains why the sport now attracts communities spanning fashion, music, art, and design.
That balance of performance and connection makes padel a natural fit for Audemars Piguet. The sport requires precision, agility, and nimbleness to succeed—qualities that are reflected in the brand's approach to watchmaking. It also aligns with a long-standing commitment to fostering connections through sport and beyond the world of watchmaking.
Once the last point had been settled, the pace slowed. The tournament moved on to dinner, an awards ceremony, and an evening spent with the players, guests, and wider AP community. Competition gave way to conversation, with the island providing a suitably polished backdrop for both.
The event arrived as padel continues its rapid international expansion. Through its partnership with Premier Padel, Audemars Piguet will appear across the global tour with dedicated court clocks and select touchpoints at its tournaments. The brand also plans to develop further club partnerships and experiences connecting professional players with its community.
Tapia will play a central role in that next phase. The Argentine world No. 1 has become known for a game built on creativity, control, and an ability to produce shots that often look impossible until he makes them.
On Île de Bendor, however, the bigger picture came into focus. Audemars Piguet did not enter padel simply by putting its name beside the court. It picked up a racket, invited its community to play, and made the sport part of the AP world.
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