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The professional pickleball landscape is expanding rapidly beyond its traditional North American borders, and the opening weekend of the 2026 TOPSERIES Pickleball circuit provided compelling evidence of this shift. Held between 20 and 22 March at Almanzor Pickleball in Arganda del Rey, Madrid, the EVOLVE tournament set a high benchmark for the European season, drawing more than 150 players from over ten countries to compete for €5,000 in prize money and 400 official ranking points.
A genuinely international field
While the sport’s most lucrative tours remain rooted in the United States, the depth and diversity of the Madrid entry list underscore a maturing international scene. Competitors travelled from nations including France, Italy, England, and Poland, but the draw also featured talent from China, Libya, and Venezuela, illustrating the game’s accelerating global footprint.
This multicultural blend of emerging talent and established international competitors created a highly competitive environment. The Spanish contingent put forward a strong defence on home soil, with regulars like Ignasi de Rueda, Pedro Cámara, and Daniel Vega featuring prominently. However, the event ultimately served as a platform for a variety of European and international stars to assert their dominance early in the 2026 calendar.
Champions emerge in the Spanish capital
With the first major ranking points of the year on the line, the competition across the top divisions was fierce. Sabrina Méndez proved to be the standout performer in the women’s draw, cementing her reputation as one of Europe’s most explosive talents by securing the Division 1 Women’s Singles title. She then partnered with Maria Fernández Costantino to claim the Division 1 Women’s Doubles crown.
In the men’s top tier, Poland’s Bartosz Karbownik battled his way to the Singles championship, taking an early lead in the season rankings. The British pairing of Ben Cawston and Theo Platel successfully navigated the Division 1 Men’s Doubles bracket to take the title, while Cawston also joined forces with Costantino to win the Mixed Doubles, capping off a highly successful weekend for both players.
In Division 2, Alexander Serrano took the Men’s Singles title and shared the Men’s Doubles victory with Sergi Ventura, who also claimed the Mixed Doubles crown alongside Alicia Roca.
Redrawing the global map
The success of the Madrid event is not merely a regional victory; it signals the viability of independent, well-structured circuits operating outside the American ecosystem. As the host city, Madrid has positioned itself at the forefront of the sport’s European expansion, supported by venues like Almanzor Pickleball that are capable of delivering an international standard of competition and fostering an atmosphere of genuine camaraderie.
For TOPSERIES, this is just the beginning of an ambitious roadmap. The circuit is structured across four tiers—ULTIMATE, ELITE, EVOLVE, and CHALLENGE—and will travel to major global destinations including London, Rome, Venice, Cairo, and Dubai as the year progresses.
The appetite for these events is clear. As TOPSERIES CEO Adel Aref noted following the finals, the presence of so many nationalities in Madrid is a stark demonstration of the momentum, ambition, and international reach the sport is currently achieving. With the first ranking leaders now established, the circuit has successfully laid the groundwork for a season that promises to further elevate the standard of competitive pickleball on the global stage.
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Chris Beaumont
Founder and Editor-in-ChiefChris Beaumont is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of World Pickleball Magazine. Chris follows the global game closely, reporting on the latest news, developments, stories and tournaments from all five continents. He also hosts the World Pickleball Podcast, interviewing people at…
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