History of padel: a sport born by chance, which became a global phenomenon

Football, basketball, and handball were all invented with a specific intention. Yet, who would have thought that the sport that experienced one of the fastest rises in modern history was born… by mistake ?

A chance invention in Mexico

It was in the 1960s in Mexico that Enrique Corcuera, a wealthy businessman, decided to set up a private tennis court on its property . Due to lack of sufficient space, the land is smaller than the regulatory dimensions and it is surrounded by walls . With his friends, Corcuera begins to play it and, for fun, they invent their own rules Without knowing it, they have just created a new sport: padel.

From the Spanish elite to the Argentinian pitches

Seduced by the concept, Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe , a friend of Corcuera, brought this new sport to Spain. It initially appealed to the wealthy classes, particularly on the Costa del Sol. But it was in Argentina , in the 1980s, that padel began to really take shape. It quickly became more democratic and led to the creation of numerous academies It is also in this country that the first big stars of the discipline were born.

Explosion in Spain and first competitions

In the 1990s, padel took off again in Spain. It gradually became the second most practiced sport , just behind football. Field construction is exploding, and the first major national tournaments are organized.

The success of padel is based on several assets:

He's easy to reach even for beginners.
It quickly gives the feeling of being efficient.
It is played in duo , in a collective spirit and often mixte .
It favors the social interactions , which makes it a particularly friendly sport.

Professional structuring: WPT, then Premier Padel

After becoming popular in much of Europe and Latin America, padel is reaching a new level in 2013 with the launch of the World Padel Tour (WPT) , the first major international professional circuit. Managed in conjunction with the International Federation of Padel (FIP) , the WPT structures the high level, publicizes the competitions and consecrates legends like Fernando Belasteguin , Paquito Navarro ou Juan Lebrón .

But 2022 , a new actor appears: the personalised tour Premier Padel , officially supported by the FIP and launched with the support of Qatar Sports Investments. More ambitious, more international, Premier Padel organizes tournaments in prestigious locations, offering record prize money and global reach.

A sport in full global expansion

Today, padel is booming. It is experiencing growth spectacular in Europe, Latin America, but also in Asia and the Middle East . It is estimated that 25 million practitioners worldwide , a figure that is constantly increasing.

In France, the boom is visible: clubs are springing up like mushrooms, tournaments are multiplying, and the French Tennis Federation (FFT) has integrated padel into its development strategy. With its ease of access, its fun aspect, its trendy image and its collective spirit, Padel attracts all profiles .

The Olympic dream in sight

The next challenge for padel? To be recognized as olympic sport . With its international growth, its strengthened professional structure and its growing popularity, this dream now seems more realistic than ever .