The Pro-Am announced in May takes shape
When Audemars Piguet announced its partnerships with Premier Padel and Agustín Tapia in May 2026, it also outlined a Pro-Am bringing together professionals, amateurs and members of its community. That plan materialised on Île de Bendor, off Bandol, with two courts and an event dressed in the watchmaker’s colours.
The first official Reel maintained the suspense with ‘Court: set. Guests: on their way.’ The carousels posted the following day by Tapia and Ari Sánchez offer a fuller picture: matches, watch details, dinner, island shores and group portraits, without a focus on standings.
The courts, fencing, reception areas and a clock inspired by the Royal Oak create a setting immediately recognisable as Audemars Piguet. Alongside its role in timing the circuit, the partnership now has a hospitality format of its own.
The story in motion
The court is ready, the guests are on their way
Audemars Piguet announces its first padel Pro-Am with a deliberately open invitation: ‘Court: set. Guests: on their way.’
Credit : Audemars Piguet / @audemarspiguet — still from the official Reel
Watch the Reel on @audemarspiguet ↗Tapia opens the story
Agustín Tapia is the expected face of the event. A partner of the watchmaker since May, he appears in the pre-tournament Reel testing the court. The video relies on a spectacular shot, a reaction and a few views of the location rather than a sales pitch.
His own carousel, posted on 26 September and geotagged on Île de Bendor, expands the account of the stay. Tapia alternates play, a watch on his wrist, time with guests, dinner and views of the site. The post simply mentions @audemarspiguet; the images do the describing.
The dedicated production is clearly visible. A camera, boom microphone, reflector and staged sequence occupy the court. Content was one of the elements prepared alongside the courts and hospitality, rather than a casual record of the weekend.
The story in motion
Agustín Tapia tests the court before the Pro-Am
The second official Reel puts Agustín Tapia at the centre of the opening: a short sequence built around an impossible shot and the event’s coastal setting.
Credit : Audemars Piguet / @audemarspiguet — official Reel; cover image: @fedeloute / Instagram
Watch the Reel on @audemarspiguet ↗Ari Sánchez and Coki Nieto join the players
Ari Sánchez was among the players present. Her 26 September carousel is also geotagged on Île de Bendor and describes ‘fantastic days’ with the Audemars Piguet family. It brings together the court, dinner, scenery and informal moments around the event.
Coki Nieto is also identifiable in Sánchez’s and Tapia’s posts. The images include a group on court and a dinner, without highlighting a draw, scores or a prize ceremony. The format centres on games between professionals and guests rather than a sporting result to analyse.
Other guests appear in content shared from the island, but they are not all named. Without an official guest list, the identifiable names in public posts remain the clearest reference.
Bendor, the setting and the address
Sánchez’s and Tapia’s posts resolve the uncertainty left by the initial teasers: the Pro-Am took place on Île de Bendor, 300 metres off Bandol. The site reopened in May 2026 as Zannier Île de Bendor following five years of redevelopment.
Dark green courts, white lines and Audemars Piguet signatures sit against the rock and sea without a proliferation of logos. A few prominently branded surfaces make the watchmaker recognisable throughout the imagery.
Pale furniture, parasols, wood and vegetation form a hospitality area directly connected to the courts. A municipal order published before the event referred to deliveries of temporary infrastructure to the island for the Audemars Piguet tournament: the setting was built for this occasion.
From teaser to a record of the stay
‘Guests: on their way’ worked as a teaser. The 26 September posts then shift the focus: they do not reveal a complete guest list, but show how the day on court extended into the island’s other spaces.
Photos beside the clock, a courtside lounge, dinner, coastal walks and portraits in playing clothes give the Pro-Am a longer rhythm than a single court session. Sánchez herself refers to several days, without sharing a detailed programme.
These fragments reflect the private nature of the gathering. The professionals bring the level of play, the guests the watchmaker’s network, while the location and image production connect the two.
Imagery is part of the brand’s commitment
The interest of this first Pro-Am lies in its execution. Audemars Piguet announced a format of its own when it entered padel; a few months later, it has delivered the courts, hospitality, player presence and content connecting them.
Image quality is part of the project. The aerial court view, Tapia’s shot, Sánchez’s portrait, the group of professionals and the hospitality scenes capture different moments with a consistent visual identity.
That gives substance to the brand’s involvement: an event produced from start to finish, alongside its courtside presence. There is no confirmation yet that the format will return, but this first edition shows what the partnership announced in May was intended to deliver.
Here, the commitment is visible in what was produced: courts, hospitality, players and imagery planned together.
Sources
- Audemars Piguet — first padel Pro-Am announcement ↗
- Audemars Piguet — Agustín Tapia tests the court ↗
- Premier Padel — Audemars Piguet and Agustín Tapia partnerships ↗
- Ari Sánchez — carousel from Île de Bendor ↗
- Agustín Tapia — carousel from Île de Bendor ↗
- @fedeloute — Stories from the Pro-Am ↗
- Zannier Île de Bendor — island history and access ↗
- City of Bandol — tournament infrastructure order ↗