Johannesburg, 24 July 2026: South African audiences will have their first opportunity to watch the world's premier professional padel tour live on local soil when ESPN (DStv Channel 218 and StarTimes 248) airs the Premier Padel P1 Pretoria tournament from 27 July to 2 August. Staged at SunBet Arena at Time Square and featured on the global Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour calendar, the tournament underscores South Africa's growing role in the worldwide rise of one of the fastest-expanding racket sports.

In addition to showcasing the sport's biggest international stars, the tournament will also provide South African players with the opportunity to compete locally through wildcard entries and qualification pathways.

Fans can follow the action live on ESPN as the tournament reaches its decisive stages:

• Monday 27 July: Opening rounds (from 17:00)
• Tuesday 28 & Wednesday 29 July: First Round, Men's & Women's (from 9:00 onwards)
• Thursday 30 July: Round of 16 (from 10:00 onwards)
• Friday 31 July: Quarter-finals (from 10:00 onwards)
• Saturday 1 August: Women's Semi-final (13:00) and Men's Semi-final (17:00)
• Sunday 2 August: Women's Final (13:00) and Men's Final (15:00)

Through live broadcasts from Pretoria and continuous social media coverage, ESPN will connect South African fans with world-class padel while helping cement the country's place on the international padel calendar.

For updates regarding the Premier Padel and other sports, fans can connect to @ESPNAfrica on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit espn.com. 

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*Currency in South African Rands (ZAR)