Key Takeaways
- Ant Hardman has joined Absolute Padel as Head of Coaching, leading the academy programme.
- Ant brings more than 25 years of elite player development, including work with former world number one Neal Skupski.
- His coaching philosophy is decision-led and match-first, focused on improving players in real competitive situations.
- He will lead the academy coaching content, the weekly themes and the community side of the platform.
Absolute Padel is delighted to confirm that Ant Hardman has joined as Head of Coaching, leading the academy programme and bringing more than 25 years of elite player development experience to the platform.
A coaching career built at the top
Ant has worked with players across every stage of the racket-sport pathway, from junior development through to Grand Slam level. His most well-known partnership was with former world number one and Wimbledon doubles champion Neal Skupski during a key period of his development - a working relationship that reflects the depth of his tactical, mental and technical work.
In his words: "Padel is one of the most exciting coaching environments I have worked in. The game rewards intelligent decisions, not just clean technique. That is what the academy is going to be built around."
Why padel
Ant is now fully immersed in padel as both a coach and a player. Where his tennis background gave him a deep understanding of how matches are won, padel demands more from positioning, partnership and decision-making. That overlap is exactly where his coaching strengths sit.
What he brings to the academy
What is next
The Absolute Padel Academy is launching soon. Ant will lead the coaching content, the weekly themes and the community side of the platform. For players who want a clearer way to improve at padel, the waitlist is open now.
- The Absolute Padel Academy Is Coming Soon →A structured online coaching programme designed around how padel is actually played.
- What Makes Great Padel Coaching Different →Why decision-led, match-first coaching beats drill-based teaching.
- Foundation Course: Everything You Need to Start Playing Padel →The five things every new player needs in their first ten games of padel.
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