Samy Dana Cup of Pickleball consolidates competition, social impact, and high technical level in São Paulo.
The Samy Dana Cup of Pickleball has become a fixture on the São Paulo calendar, uniting three clear pillars: high-level competition, community strengthening, and real social impact. Held at the Arena Via Pickleball in São Paulo, the event brought together athletes of different ages and skill levels, with professional, age-group, and youth categories, and all proceeds went to the Pickleball Transforma Project , an initiative focused on social inclusion through sport.
Conceived in partnership with the São Paulo Pickleball Federation (FPP) and supported by brands and ecosystem agents, the competition is named after Samy Dana , an economist and communicator, who is also an ambassador for JOOLA, and who associated his image with a non-profit tournament with a clear purpose.
Competitive structure and categories
The Samy Dana Cup featured a format that ensured athletic experience and competitive balance, with group and knockout stages. Competitions were held in the Pro , 40+ , and Kids categories, in singles and doubles, for men, women, and mixed teams. The tournament design allowed for high-level matches in the main categories while simultaneously giving prominence to grassroots development.
Samy Dana Cup Champions and Podiums
Simple Pro
Champion: JP
Kids
Champion: Zé Lourenço
Men's Pro Doubles
Champions: JP and Rapha
Runners-up: Renan and Fernando Conti
Women's Pro Doubles
3rd place: Adriana Furquim
Mixed Doubles Pro
Runners-up: Renan and Renata
3rd place: Rapha
Men's Doubles 40+
Champion: Fernando Conti
Runner-up: Reinaldo Junqueira
Women's Doubles 40+
3rd place: Adriana Furquim
Mixed Doubles 40+
Champion: Fernando Volpim
Runner-up: Reinaldo Junqueira
3rd place: Adriana Furquim
In addition to these categories, the tournament also recorded significant results in the youth classes, especially in the children's and youth competitions, reinforcing the structured growth of pickleball in Brazil.
Technical highlights of the tournament
The professional categories featured intense matches, marked by high net dominance, dink reading, and consistency in the no-volley zone. In singles, champion JP stood out for his rhythm control and efficiency in decisive moments. In doubles, the integration between partners and tactical variation were key, especially in the Men's Pro Doubles finals.
In the 40+ categories, experience was key. Strategy, consistency, and game intelligence defined the podium finishes, demonstrating how pickleball allows for competitive longevity without sacrificing intensity.
Evidence-based
The Kids categories were one of the highlights of the event. Zé Lourenço 's title symbolizes a new generation that already demonstrates above-average tactical understanding, coordination, and athletic maturity, indicating a promising future for the sport in the country.
Far beyond the podium
More than just medals, the Samy Dana Cup left a legacy. The event reinforced pickleball as an inclusive, competitive, and socially engaged sport. Athletes, families, organizers, and partners shared an environment of healthy competition, collective purpose, and community growth. It's important to remember that JOOLA does not condone any form of aggression, whether physical, moral, or verbal.
The Samy Dana Cup demonstrated that it's possible to host a technically strong tournament that's relevant for rankings and athletic development, while simultaneously transforming every point played into a positive impact off the court.
