Harry van Saarloos Joins Third Shot.

Last December, Harry van Saarloos picked up a padel racket for the first time. Less than a year later, he is the top-ranked under-18 player in Lancashire, No. 22 in the country at under-18 level, and training in Barcelona.

We are proud to welcome Harry to Third Shot as our newest sponsored player. He is in Spain for two months of high-performance padel with Nox, and he is wearing Third Shot on court throughout.

A Fast Start

From first racket to county No. 1 in under a year.

Most players spend years finding their feet in padel. Harry has been in more of a hurry. In a matter of months he has gone from learning the basics to the top of the LTA's Lancashire under-18 rankings.

Anyone who follows him on Instagram will have seen the work behind it: bandejas, viboras and volleys, repeated on cold evenings until they start to look easy.

Why Barcelona

Two months at the heart of the game.

If padel has a capital, Spain has a strong claim to it, and Barcelona sits close to the centre of that story. The game is part of daily life there. Clubs stay busy long after dark, the standard runs deep, and good players are never far from better ones.

Nox is part of that culture. The Spanish brand has built its name around the professional game, and its Barcelona base has become a place where ambitious young players go to sharpen every part of their padel.

For a young British player, two months there means more than good coaching. It means more hours on court, stronger opposition and the kind of daily repetition that is hard to find at home.

Why We Are Backing Harry

Support that arrives while the story is still being written.

Third Shot was founded in Sheffield to make clothing for people who take racket sports seriously, whatever level they play at. Harry is exactly that kind of player, and he is only at the beginning.

There is a logo on the sleeve, of course. What we care about more is supporting someone at the point where the commitment is real and the result is still unwritten.

What Harry Packed

Kit that has to work for two months, not two hours.

A long training block is an honest test for any wardrobe. Hot sessions, evenings that cool quickly, early starts and very little room in a suitcase.

Harry took our performance tops and shorts for court, the Changeover Windbreaker for cooler evenings, and a cap for the Spanish sun. The same pieces are available to you at thirdshot.uk.

At a Glance

Player
Harry van Saarloos

Age group
Under-18

Ranking
LTA U18 Lancashire No. 1, LTA U18 No. 22

Playing since
December

Destination
Barcelona, Spain

Programme
Two months of high-performance training with Nox

Kit partner
Third Shot

Follow Harry's Season

Harry is sharing the journey on Instagram at @harryvansaarloos, and we will bring updates from Barcelona here in the Journal and at @thirdshotuk.

Welcome to the team, Harry. Buena suerte.