Argentina: A unique nation in the history of padel

Before becoming a global sport, padel was for a long time a deeply Argentinian story. Born in Mexico in 1969 by Enrique Corcuera, the sport then arrived in Spain thanks to Alfonso de Hohenlohe, before developing rapidly in Argentina under the impetus of Julio Menditeguy.

According to the International Federation of PadelThe first Argentinian courts appeared notably at Club Tortugas, Mar del Plata Ocean Club and in several major cities of the country in the 1970s and 1980s. Very quickly, Argentina became one of the main drivers of the development of padel worldwide.

A founding country in the history of padel

Argentina did not simply adopt padel; it participated in its international development. In 1988, the Asociación Padel Argentino is created, while the first major international confrontation between Spain and Argentina takes place the same year in Mar del Plata.

In 1991, the International Federation of Padel (FIP) was officially founded in Madrid by the Argentine, Spanish and Uruguayan federations. One year later, the first World Team Championships were organized between Madrid and Seville.

During the 1990s, padel even experienced a genuine social phenomenon in Argentina. Several specialist sources estimate that at the peak of the sport's popularity in the country, Argentina had several million amateur players and thousands of courts spread across the entire territory.

A historic dominance in the national team

Argentina remains one of the leading nations in world padel. In the men's competition, the Argentine team won the World Team Championships in 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2022 and 2024.

In women's tennis, Argentina has also made history with world titles in 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2012. Since the mid-2010s, Spain has taken the lead in the women's draw, but Argentina remains a consistent presence among the finalist nations of major international competitions.

The men's world title won in Doha in 2024 illustrated this generational continuity, with a mix of experienced players and young talents already established at the top of the circuit.

A factory of champions

Argentine padel has produced several of the greatest names in history. Fernando Belasteguín, born in Pehuajó, remains the most emblematic figure of the modern sport: world number one for sixteen consecutive seasons, he influenced several generations before retiring professionally in 2024 after more than thirty years of career.

Before him, players like Alejandro Lasaigues, Roby Gattiker or Hernán Auguste participated in building the very highest international level in the 1990s and 2000s.

The current generation confirms this continuity. Agustín Tapia, from Catamarca, shares the top spot in the FIP rankings with Arturo Coello. Federico Chingotto is also among the world's leading players, alongside Alejandro Galán.

Argentina also has in its ranks Franco Stupaczuk, Martín Di Nenno, Leo Augsburger and Tino Libaak, symbols of a new generation already decisive in major international events.

A mature market, but different from Europe

Unlike emerging markets such as Asia or certain regions of Africa, Argentina has a padel culture that has been established for several decades.

The World Padel The 2025 report published in collaboration with the FIP places Argentina among the leading padel infrastructure countries in the world, behind Spain and Italy, with approximately 7,000 courts identified according to estimates relayed in the report.

But the Argentinian model remains different from that observed in Western Europe. Whereas Spain or Italy have seen development heavily focused on premium private clubs and recent investments, Argentina retains a strong popular and competitive tradition, often rooted in local clubs and historical structures.

A unique padel culture

In Argentina, padel is historically linked to neighborhood clubs, provincial towns, and a highly competitive style of play. Mar del Plata holds a special place in this history: the FIP regularly cites the city as one of the major milestones in the global development of the sport.

It was in Mar del Plata that some of the first major international matches between Spain and Argentina took place. The city is also associated with a significant innovation: the creation of the first demountable glass tennis court by Jorge Galeotti in 1989.

This culture partly explains the high concentration of Argentinian players at the highest level. Argentina has not only exported champions: it has also exported a true school of padel, historically recognized for its defense, tactical awareness, patience in building points, and competitiveness.

Argentina: A historical power that remains central

Spain currently dominates a large part of the global padel economic ecosystem, but Argentina retains a special place in the history of the sport.

It is simultaneously a founding country, a world champion nation, a land of legends, and a permanent reservoir of talent. From Fernando Belasteguín to Agustín Tapia, from Roby Gattiker to Federico Chingotto, from Franco Stupaczuk to Martín Di Nenno, Argentina has been part of all the great eras of modern padel.

Although padel has become global, it remains impossible to tell its story without Argentina.

Main sources: International Federation of Padel (FIP), Roll of Honor FIP, FIP rankings, Premier Padel, El País archives, SGI Europe / FIP World Padel Report 2025.

Antoine Tricolet

I discovered the Padel I stumbled into Spain at a campsite. I was instantly hooked; passionate about padel for the past three years, I follow international and regional news with the same excitement as the sport itself.