Spain and Argentina Open FIP Senior World Cup With 5-0 Shutouts in Buenos Aires

Spain and Argentina both blanked their group-stage rivals 5-0 on the opening day of the FIP Senior World Cup in Buenos Aires, setting the tone for a tournament that also features one of tennis's biggest names on a padel court.

Shutouts to Start the Week

Spain's men swept past Egypt without dropping a tie, and Argentina's men closed out Uruguay by an identical 5-0 scoreline on the same afternoon. The women's draws followed the same script: Spain beat Lithuania 5-0 and host nation Argentina beat Switzerland 5-0, results that put both countries in firm control of their groups after day one.

The event, running September 14-19 at venues across Buenos Aires, is the fourth edition of the FIP Senior World Cup and the first held in South America. Thirty-two men's teams and twenty-six women's teams are split into age divisions from 40-and-over through 60-and-over, with each national tie decided across five matches.

A Grand Slam Champion Joins the Field

The week's most unusual storyline belongs to Australia. Pat Rafter, the two-time US Open champion and former world No. 1, is turning out for the Aussie Crocs in the 40+ category, part of a squad that also took the court on day one against Venezuela. Rafter has spent the past couple of seasons building a padel resume through exhibitions and Australian tour events, and Buenos Aires marks his biggest step yet into the sport's senior international scene.

Group play continues through September 16, with knockout rounds beginning September 17 to sort out medals across all five age brackets in both the men's and women's competitions.