Brothers Keean and Kael Shah were crowned champions of the inaugural Carrefour Open Padel Tournament on Sunday after defeating Amar and Gaston 7-6 in a thrilling Top Kenya final at Networks Padel Village.
The closely contested final brought the four-day tournament to an exciting conclusion. The Shah brothers overcame a strong challenge from Amar Shah and Gaston Castro in a match that showcased the growing competitiveness and quality of padel in Kenya. Amar and Gaston finished as runners-up, while third place was shared between Maxwell Kombo and Devin Shretta, and Helder Simao and Markel.
In the women’s final, Khaaliqa Nimji and Seyaana Ladha claimed top honors after defeating Sharon and Faith, capping off a weekend of high-intensity competition across multiple categories.
Hosted by Carrefour Kenya (which Majid Al Futtaim owns the exclusive rights to operate in Kenya) in partnership with Networks Padel Village, the inaugural tournament brought together more than 250 athletes competing across the Top Kenya, Advanced, Mixed, High Intermediate, Intermediate and Open divisions for a share of a KES 700,000 prize pool.
The Top Kenya champions, Keean and Kael Shah, received KES 100,000 in prize money, with runners-up Amar and Gaston earning KES 40,000, while the two third-placed teams each received KES 30,000.
Reflecting on their victory, Keean and Kael Shah said:
“This was our first time playing together as brothers, and we have to give credit to our opponents for putting up a great fight. In the first set, they had us completely confused, but once we figured out our game, we were able to capitalize. It was a very competitive match and a fantastic final. Amar’s left-handed play brings a very different challenge, while Gaston makes you work for every point. In the end, it was as much a mental game as it was physical. We’ve played them before, and we’re looking forward to many more matches against them because it’s always competitive and a fun environment to play in.”
The tournament featured competition across nine categories, including Top Kenya, Men’s Advanced, Ladies Advanced, Mixed Advanced, Men’s High Intermediate, Men’s Intermediate, Ladies Intermediate, Mixed Intermediate, and Open Level 2.0. Participants competed for cash prizes and gift hampers, making the event one of the largest padel tournaments held in Kenya to date.
Beyond the competition, the Carrefour Open also sought to contribute to the development of the sport through community engagement initiatives, including a youth tournament that introduced young players to padel and offered mentorship opportunities through Networks Padel Village coaches.
The successful conclusion of the inaugural Carrefour Open Padel Tournament marks a significant milestone in the growth of padel in Kenya and reinforces the sport’s growing popularity among both competitive and recreational players.
