Anthony Joshua joins Andy Murray as co-owner of world’s best padel side Team AD/vantage – as they prepare to defend Hexagon Cup title against rivals led by Lionel Messi and Rafael Nadal
Anthony Joshua has become a co-owner of Andy Murray’s elite padel team
Last year Murray’s Team AD/vantage won the inaugural Hexagon Cup in Madrid
The competition launches again at the end of January with a £840,000 prize pot
Anthony Joshua has jumped into a new ring by becoming a co-owner of Andy Murray’s padel outfit Team AD/vantage.
Last February the side won the inaugural Hexagon Cup in both the male and female disciplines in Madrid.
And they will look to defend their crown in the Spanish capital from January 31 to February 2, with the prize pool totalling £840,000.
Eight teams are part of the tournament including newcomers KRU Padel, a team owned by Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero’s KRU Esports club. Rafael Nadal, Robert Lewandowski, and Pierre Gasly are also behind different teams.
Since securing the backing of DMG Ventures, the inaugural Hexagon Cup successfully lured the very best international padel players to compete. Padel, which combines elements of tennis and squash, is the fastest-growing sport in the UK.
‘The growth of Padel as an international sport has been really impressive and interesting to watch so getting the chance to join Andy and the rest of the ownership team was an opportunity I had to take,’ said Joshua, a two-time heavyweight boxing world champion.
Anthony Joshua is branching out by becoming co-owner of Andy Murray’s padel side Team AD/vantage
Last year AD/vantage won both the men’s and women’s categories at the first Hexagon Cup
Murray, who is currently at the Australian Open coaching Novak Djokovic, will hope for more success at the upcoming second edition in Madrid
KRU Padel, a sports division of the esports team owned by Lionel Messi (right) and Sergio Aguero (left), will compete in the Hexagon Cup next year
‘I am looking forward to supporting the team as they defend their Hexagon Cup title in Madrid later this month and as they continue to grow and develop.’
The team is also co-owned by tennis coach Daniel Vallverdu and businessman Arran Yentob.
The announcement of Joshua’s involvement comes just a day after Tyson Fury, who he intended to fight this year, declared for the fifth time that he is retiring from boxing. He first did so in November 2013.
At this year’s Hexagon Cup, the format will see the franchise teams – made up of three pairs in Male, Female and Next Gen categories – initially compete in a round robin qualification before fighting for the title.
Launched with the strapline, ‘For the fans, for the players, for the game’, the Hexagon Cup has eagerly placed spectators at the forefront of their planning, with live music, entertainers and padel experiences accompanying the sporting action.
Earlier this year, Martin Di Nenno and Juan Tello of Murray’s AD/vantage Team, became the inaugural men’s winners, while it was a senior sweep for the three-time Grand Slam winner as his roster – which included Alejandra Salazar and Tamara Icardo – secured the women’s title.
Lewandowski also got in on the silverware, with his team of David Gala and Enzo Jensen prevailing in the Next Gen category.
There are now around 600 padel courts in the UK – a sharp increase from the 350 in 2023 – and over 5,000 hours of the sport are played here each day.
