Lachlan McLean crowned Celebrity 1 Point Padel champion at Sydney Opera House
Actor and content creator joins forces with international Premier Padel player Mar Munera to take out inaugural Celebrity 1 Point Padel exhibition.
Lachlan McLean and Mar Munera have claimed victory in the inaugural Celebrity 1 Point Padel, defeating AFL star Joel Patfull and Premier Padel player Aimee Gibson in a dramatic one-point knockout tournament at the Padel Invitational presented by UBS.
The star-studded celebrity showcase, held on the Sydney Opera House Northern Broadwalk, included Australian tennis legends Ash Barty and Pat Rafter, international actor and star of the hit television show Off Campus, Josh Heuston, Gold Logie nominee Todd Woodbridge, and internationally renowned supermodel Bambi Northwood-Blyth.
Celebrities went head-to-head in a fast-paced format where every match is decided by a single point, creating a fun, unpredictable event for fans while introducing audiences to the world's fastest-growing sport.
“For the first time that they’ve done this the crowd was amazing and the atmosphere was great,” Lachlan McLean said. “I was so nervous. It was such a surreal experience.”
“I think that this sport is so social and it can bring people together in so many fun ways. I’ve played it for a little while. I love it.”
Set against the backdrop of Sydney Harbour, the event marked a milestone moment for padel in Australia, bringing together tennis legends, actors, Olympians, sporting personalities and international padel superstars.
Played by more than 35 million people across the world, padel has evolved into a global cultural phenomenon, attracting a powerful mix of sport, entertainment, fashion wellness and hospitality.
Among the headline matchups, Heuston partnered with Spanish padel great Alejandra Salazar, while Woodbridge teamed up with Olympic gold medallist Cooper Woods.
The Celebrity 1 Point Padel field featured Pat Rafter, Ash Barty, the Inspired Unemployed – Matt Ford and Jack Steele, Todd Woodbridge, Josh Heuston, Lakota Johnson, Geraldine Viswanathan, Bambi Norwood Blyth, Lachlan McLean, Joel Patfull, Felix Von Hofe, Madison and Bailey O’Brien, Jordan Smith, Ruel, Cooper Woods and Cale Hooker.
The Celebrity 1 Point Padel is part of the Padel Invitational presented by UBS, which takes place on the Sydney Opera House Northern Broadwalk until Sunday 16 August 2026.
For further media information, please contact:
Jesse Failla, Tennis Australia jesse.failla@tennis.com.au, +61 401 864 435
Michaela Cameron, Tennis Australia michaela.cameron@tennis.com.au, +61 482 110 513