With the start of the 2025 season disrupted by weather conditions, the question of a strategic change of direction towards all indoors in professional padel is becoming increasingly pressing. Rain, humidity, wind and even high temperatures have hampered the organization of several tournaments in the personalised tour Premier Padel, feeding a debate that agitates both fans and players.

Two tournaments, two weather alerts

From the first tournament of the season, the Riyadh P1, bad weather had disrupted the initial program. Scheduled to conclude on a Saturday, the competition finally ended on a Monday, with finals played in front of partially empty stands. Almost the same scenario at Santiago de Chile, where theHumidity led to the interruption of the women's final at 1 set each and 15-15 in the third, and at thepure and simple cancellation of the men's final, Franco Stupaczuk having fallen ill.

Two out of three outdoor tournaments disrupted in the first weeks of competition sends a strong signal to those calling for a 100% indoor calendar.

The disadvantages of outdoor padel

Beyond the rain, the wind and extreme heat also pose a problem. These elements not only disrupt the quality of the game, but also put players in danger. Several stars of the circuit, including Martita Ortega, expressed their frustration and their wish to see at least one major tournament to be played indoorsToday, all the Majors are still organized in the open air.

A question of prestige… and strategy

The paradox is that the four most prestigious tournaments (the Majors) are all outdoor. For reasons of image, visibility and spectacle, organizers still favor outdoor infrastructures, which are often more modular and attractive to the general public. But these marketing choices increasingly come up against logistical and sporting realities.

In 2024, 13 tournaments were played indoors versus 11 outdoors, a fragile balance that recent events could tip. Should we sacrifice the prestige of certain places to guarantee the regularity of competitions?

A decision that belongs to Premier Padel

If the debate is growing, it is also because the issues are clear: players demand stability, fans want to see the best matches all the way through, and The circuit must take care of its image and credibilityThe ball is now in the court of Premier Padel, which may have to rethink its strategy to avoid other frustrating outcomes... like those experienced in Riyadh and Santiago.

Benjamin Dupouy

I discovered padel directly during a tournament, and frankly, I didn't really like it at first. But the second time, it was love at first sight, and since then, I haven't missed a single match. I'm even ready to stay up until 3am to watch a final of Premier Padel !

On the same subject

Tags