Brit duo claim first FIP win of new year
British padel duo Aimee Gibson and Catherine Rose have kick-started the new season in the perfect way after claiming victory at the FIP Silver Australian Padel Open in Sydney.
The second seeded pair defeated Spanish fourth seeds Carla Fernandez Gonzalez and Nerea Guerra Santana 6-3, 6-3 in the final to lift their second, and biggest, title as a partnership since November.
The Australian Padel Open trophy marks Aimee’s third professional title, which she adds to the two FIP Rise crowns she picked up in Manila and Doha, while the victory saw Catherine claim her second FIP title.
Their victory in Sydney signifies the highest achievement to date by a British player, setting them up for another encouraging season on the Cupra FIP Tour. FIP Silver is a new event category on the tour calendar, replacing the formerly known FIP Star tournaments; the Cupra FIP Tour is now divided into Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum events, offering the potential for more prize money.
Despite the name change, there are no differences to points awarded between FIP Silver and FIP Star events, with the Brits picking up 62 FIP ranking points from the win. This could see Aimee position herself on the cusp of the world’s top 100 for the first time in her career (and, we believe, become the first British player to do so).
“It was amazing to win the first FIP Silver of 2025,” said Catherine after sealing her first title of the season. “We had some amazing wins against very strong opponents where we had to play a good solid level to come through. It was a strong field with top 100 players, so we are proud of this achievement.”
Having cut their pre-season shorter than usual to get back competing on the tour, Aimee and Catherine were an unstoppable force throughout the tournament. After receiving a first round bye, the Brits took down Jessica Brycki and Pascalle Thenoux in straight sets before bypassing Dutch pair Maaike Betz and Janine Hemmes to reach the finals, closing out the title without dropping a set.
The British pair, who are supported by the LTA’s Padel Performance Pathway, will be hoping to use their victory in Sydney as a springboard to another impressive run at the FIP Silver event in Melbourne, from January 8-12th.
“We are looking forward to Melbourne, anything from now is a bonus,” Catherine added. “To be able to compete in such an amazing country is so exciting for us and we are just making the most of these opportunities.” 🎾
