Anthony Joshua joins padel craze by investing in Murray’s Hexagon Cup team
Boxer Anthony Joshua has teamed up with fellow British sporting great Andy Murray by becoming a co-owner of his Hexagon Cup-winning padel team.
Joshua has joined Murray, tennis coach Dani Vallverdu and businessman Arran Yentob in the ownership group of Team AD/vantage as the British entrant bids to retain its crown this month.
They will go up against teams owned by football stars Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Robert Lewandowski, Hollywood actor Eva Longoria, the Rafa Nadal Academy and F1 driver Pierre Gasly at the second Hexagon Cup, which starts in Madrid on 29 January.
“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.
“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 two-time world heavyweight champion is just the latest household name to get involved in padel, which is billed as the fastest growing sport in the world.
David Beckham, Serena Williams, Pep Guardiola and Antonio Banderas are among the celebrities known to love the tennis-squash hybrid, which is played on an enclosed court with a net and more commonly in a doubles format.
Murray is also a backer of UK-based padel courts operator Game4Padel, which last week welcomed investment from England footballers Tammy Abraham and Callum Wilson.
Award-winning music artist Stormzy, meanwhile, was recently named an investor in Padel Social Club, the London-based chain of upmarket clubs.