The American tennis player  Frances Tiafoe , a semi-finalist at the 2023 US Open, has just taken a new step in his career… but not on a tennis court. The current ATP Tour player has decided to invest in the franchise of  New York Atlantics , engaged in  Pro Padel League A historic first: never before has a professional tennis player taken part in the development of a padel team.

A strategic and personal investment

Tiafoe injected funds by becoming a minority shareholder in the club, but his role does not end there: he will also support the structure as  strategic advisor .
The American discovered padel last spring during a European tour. Quickly seduced by the sport's rhythm and tactical dimension, he didn't hesitate to get more involved.
"You have to be agile, know how to use the windows, think like you're in chess... It's a game that's both physical and very fun to watch," he confided recently.

Padel : the new temptation for sports stars

While Frances Tiafoe is the first active tennis player to embark on the adventure, other big names have already paved the way.  Andy Murray  invested in Game4Padel in the UK, while Andre Agassi  has acquired a stake in Ballers, a multi-sport club concept including padel.
In this same New York round table, we also find  Maarten Paes , FC Dallas goalkeeper, who has also decided to focus on the development of the discipline.

The Pro Padel League in full expansion

Created 2023 the  Pro Padel League  now has ten teams spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 2025 season will be structured around several prestigious stages: Miami, San Sebastian, Guadalajara, not to mention an All-Star Event in the Hamptons and the  City's Cup in New York .

“A spectacle sport” according to Tiafoe

Ambitious, via our colleagues at Sportico, the American player already imagines a future where padel would fill entire arenas in the United States:
"In Europe, the venues are full. If we can get 10 or 000 people here, padel will become a real spectacle, not just for tennis fans, but for anyone who wants to have a good time."

With this investment, Frances Tiafoe confirms a strong trend: padel is attracting more and more international athletes and is establishing itself as a  sport is booming  across the Atlantic.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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