# Pat Rafter Headlines Padel's First Sydney Opera House Takeover

> Padel Australia built a custom court on the Opera House's Northern Broadwalk this weekend for the debut UBS-backed Padel Invitational, mixing tennis royalty with Premier Padel pros.

Published: 2026-08-16T07:36:49.347Z
Canonical: https://unstopadel.com/en/news/padel-invitational-sydney-opera-house-rafter-2026
Tags: premier-padel, australia, exhibition, pat-rafter

Padel took over the Sydney Opera House this weekend. Padel Australia built a custom court on the Opera House's Northern Broadwalk for the inaugural Padel Invitational presented by UBS, running Saturday and Sunday, August 15 and 16, with the harbour as a backdrop.

## Rafter and Dellacqua lead the way

Former world No. 1 tennis champion Pat Rafter headlined the event alongside fellow Australian star Casey Dellacqua. Rafter, now a member of Australia's national padel team, the Aussie Crocs, called padel "fast, dynamic, incredibly entertaining to watch" in the lead-up to the weekend.

## Premier Padel pros join the exhibition

The Invitational paired the celebrity lineup with genuine Premier Padel quality. Five-time world No. 1 Alejandra Salazar traveled from Spain and was joined by tour regulars Juan Martin Diaz, Martin Di Nenno, Maxi Sanchez and Marina Lobo for professional showcase matches and a Celebrity 1 Point Padel format, in which a single point decides each match.

## A push into a new market

The event is a partnership between Padel Australia, Premier Padel and the International Padel Federation, with UBS as presenting partner. Organizers also opened community sessions so local players could try the sport on the same court used by the pros, part of a wider push to grow padel's footprint in Australia.

## FAQ
### What is the Padel Invitational at the Sydney Opera House?
It is an inaugural padel event presented by UBS, held on a custom-built court on the Opera House's Northern Broadwalk on August 15 and 16, 2026, mixing celebrity and Premier Padel matches with community sessions.

### Who played at the event?
Former tennis world No. 1 Pat Rafter and Australian star Casey Dellacqua headlined, alongside Premier Padel professionals including five-time world No. 1 Alejandra Salazar, Juan Martin Diaz, Martin Di Nenno, Maxi Sanchez and Marina Lobo.

### Who organized the event?
Padel Australia ran it in partnership with Premier Padel and the International Padel Federation, with UBS as presenting partner.

## Sources
- [Pat Rafter and top players to headline Padel Invitational presented by UBS at the Sydney Opera House](https://www.padelfip.com/2026/07/pat-rafter-and-top-players-to-headline-padel-invitational-presented-by-ubs-at-the-sydney-opera-house/) - Padel FIP
- [Pat Rafter fronts padel takeover of Opera House](https://www.mediaweek.com.au/padel-takes-over-sydney-opera-house-as-rafter-dellacqua-and-stars-hit-the-court) - Mediaweek
- [Rafter headlines inaugural Padel Invitational at Sydney Opera House](https://www.tennis.com.au/fan-zone/news/2026/08/11/rafter-headlines-inaugural-padel-invitational-at-sydney-opera-house) - Tennis Australia

## Image credits
- Tourism Victoria, CC BY 2.0 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Patrick_Rafter_2015.jpg)

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