By KPC Sports Reporter
Brothers Keean and Kael Shah etched their names into Kenyan padel history after being crowned champions of the inaugural Carrefour Open Padel Tournament, defeating Amar and Gaston 7-6 in a thrilling Top Kenya final at Networks Padel Village on Sunday.
The closely fought encounter brought the four-day tournament to a dramatic conclusion, with the Shah brothers holding their nerve in a high-quality contest that highlighted the rapid growth and rising competitiveness of padel in Kenya.
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Amar and Gaston finished as runners-up, while Maxwell Kombo and Devin Shretta shared third place with Helder Simao and Markel Fernandez.
In the women’s category, Khaaliqa Nimji and Seyanna Ladha claimed top honors after overcoming Sharon Juma and Faith in the final, capping off a weekend of intense action across multiple divisions.
Hosted by Carrefour Kenya, operated exclusively in Kenya by Majid Al Futtaim, in partnership with Networks Padel Village, the inaugural tournament attracted 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.
For their triumph, Keean and Kael Shah walked away with KES 100,000 in prize money. Runners-up Amar and Gaston earned KES 40,000, while the two third-placed teams each received KES 30,000.
Reflecting on their historic victory, the Shah brothers revealed that playing together for the first time presented both a challenge and an opportunity.
“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,” they said.
“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: 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 battled not only for cash prizes but also for gift hampers, making the event one of the largest padel tournaments staged in Kenya to date.
Beyond the competition, the Carrefour Open played a key role in promoting the development of the sport through community engagement initiatives. A youth tournament introduced young players to padel while providing mentorship opportunities through coaches from Networks Padel Village.
The successful staging of the inaugural Carrefour Open Padel Tournament marks a significant milestone for the sport in Kenya, reinforcing its growing appeal among both competitive athletes and recreational players.
With strong participation, quality competition and enthusiastic fan support, the tournament has laid a solid foundation for what could become one of the country’s premier padel events.
