After a serious injury suffered in early January 2026, Miguel Deus (101) spent more than five months away from the courts. Now, less than a month before the debut of padel as a medal sport, his name appears on the list of the Portuguese Olympic Committee for the XX Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026.

The reunion with the court took place at the end of May this season, alongside his brother, Nuno Deus (85), also selected for the tournament. Despite having only two and a half months of play after the recovery period, Miguel assures he is “100% adapted to the competitive pace.” The brothers, who in July 2025 made history by becoming the first Portuguese players to enter the top 40 of the International Padel Federation (FIP) world ranking, raise high expectations for this event, which will be held from August 22 to 28 at the Salinella Mediterranean Park, in the municipality of Taranto, Italy.

The male squad is completed with Pedro Araújo and Pedro Graça, regular partners on the court and currently ranked 124th and 156th in the FIP ranking, respectively. In the women’s draw, the experience of the veteran Ana Catarina Nogueira (60) and the intensity of the current highest-ranked Portuguese player, Sofia Araújo (8), stand out. Regarding the mixed category, the pair representing Portugal is made up of the siblings Sofia and Pedro Araújo.