This week the Premier Padel calendar takes a break, but the circuit’s attention has shifted to FIP Platinum from Albania. It is the fourth most important tournament in terms of distribution of points for the world classification and Several world-class stars have enlisted, such as Franco Stupaczuk, Mike Yanguas, Martín Di Nenno and Coki Nieto. However, beyond the battle for the title, the most striking and controversial thing about the first days has been the presence of an amateur player with an evidently much lower level than the rest of the participants.
It is about Lok Hei Jamie Yau, a player from Hong Kong, born in 2002 and who currently occupies position number 954 in the FIP ranking. The Asian has participated in five official tournaments to date, earning just 17 points in his personal locker. Four of those appointments were in the FIP Bronze category (the lowest in the ranking) and one in the Silver category. In none of these tournaments has he managed to win a single match, but in all of them he has managed to directly access the main draw thanks to an administrative strategy: signing up with Spanish players who already had enough points to skip the qualifying phase.
The Albanian duo that achieved victory.
That is what happened again at the FIP Platinum in Albaniaa tournament of much greater prestige than the previous ones he has played and in which He signed up with the Canarian Iñigo Jofre, surprisingly starting as the number 17 duo on the official list.. Jofre currently occupies 29th position in the world ranking, being a player with a lot of potential who regularly reaches the round of 16 in Premier Padel events. A really strange union that is motivated by the recent couples dance, since Jairo Bautista, a regular partner of the island player, is participating in this same event with Martín Di Nenno.
Defeat against a couple without points
The controversial couple faced each other in the first round of the main draw Martín Maldini and Alensio Serjani, two Albanian players who accessed the event through an invitation card (wildcard) awarded by the local organization. It was a duo with no points in the FIP ranking and with a level presumably lower than that of the other professional couples, but which They ended up signing the victory and making history for their country’s padel after winning by a double 6-4.
However, the local victory was not achieved thanks to an exceptional performance on their part, but rather becauser the low technical level shown by Lok Hei. From the first rally it was evident that The qualities of the Hong Konger were far below those required on the circuit. Not only with respect to his teammate Iñigo Jofre – who had to start playing in the backhand position to try to cover and cover as much of the court as possible – but even in comparison with the Albanians themselves, who continually looked for him to force his mistakes. Jofre did everything he could, winning many points thanks to his powerful punch, but The limitations of his companion, who left moves totally inappropriate for a professional tournament, prevented the Canarian from advancing to the round.
A legal loophole
This clash, beyond the anecdotal, has once again called into question the filter used by the International Paddle Federation when regulating registrations in tournaments on its official circuit. On repeated occasions, local guests with a discreet level have been seen participating in various events in order to promote the development and expansion of the native sport.
Iñigo Jofre, partner of the Hong Kong player in the Albanian FIP Platinum.
However, on this occasion This is a player who does not meet the technical minimums required for the elite and that, making use of the regulations, overtakes on the right all the professionals who fight for the copper in the tough previous phases simply by registering with a partner settled in the noble zone of the ranking. A pattern of sporting behavior that Lok Hei has systematically repeated throughout this year and that has now come to light in one of the most important events on the international calendar.
Brief passage through football
The fact is that Lok Hei, the Hong Konger who has competed alongside Iñigo Jofre, also has a history in football. He competed in his country’s first division with Lucky Mile as a center forward and wearing number 18. However, He only participated in three games with a total of 36 minutes.
He was in the team’s dynamics for five months (from January to May 2025), although on many occasions without being called up or without having minutes. The clashes in which he participated ended with heavy defeats and at the end of the season He left the team without having left a trace in any competition.