In 2022, during a trip to Europe,  Alain Siu , president of the tennis and squash club  PHOENIX  in Punaauia, discover the  paddle Seduced by this rapidly expanding sport, he decided – without waiting for approval from its leaders – to order  two courts . Three years later, it is a real  sports revolution  who wins French Polynesia.

Rapid growth

Today,  PHOENIX club  matters  5 outdoor and 4 indoor tracks , all  stormed  from 6:00 a.m. to 23:00 p.m. by more than  1 regular subscribers . The phenomenon, affectionately nicknamed  "padelmania" , has spread to other municipalities such as  Piraeus  et  Papeete .

The main clubs in operation:

  •  PIRAE PADEL Club  : 5 tracks, resulting from a public-private partnership with the municipality.
  •  PAPEETE Club Excelsior  : 4 tracks, geared towards a family audience.
  •  PAPEETE Dragon Club  : 2 tracks dedicated to the development of social padel.

With now  2 practitioners including  40% women , French Polynesia stands out as  a reference for padel in the Pacific .

The miracle of padel in French Polynesia: a success story in just 3 years

An exemplary structure

All clubs have  invested in the training of instructors  qualified and implemented  improvement sessions . The reception of  coaches from Spain, France, Portugal, Argentina and El Salvador  has helped raise the local level to enviable standards,  comparable to some European clubs .

The PHÉNIX club remains the  spearhead of Polynesian padel , not only by the quality of its infrastructure, but also thanks to a  exemplary volunteer organization , looking to the future.

The miracle of padel in French Polynesia: a success story in just 3 years
The miracle of padel in French Polynesia: a success story in just 3 years
The miracle of padel in French Polynesia: a success story in just 3 years

Ambitious projects

The craze is not waning.  new land projects  are planned for  2026 and 2027 , both in existing clubs and in new ones  new municipalities .  Hotels, private investors and communities  locals prepare  between 5 and 10 new installations .

The creation of the  Federation of Padel of French Polynesia (FPPF)  is underway, with the ambition of playing a central role in the future  areas Padel Pacific .

An international tournament to reach a milestone

The first edition of  AMERICAN EXPRESS PACIFIC PADEL CUP , co-organized by the AECP ,  PHOENIX club  et  American Express , marks a  real turning point This international tournament brought together:

  •  32 pairs  in the men's final table,
  •  16 pairs  in the women's table,
  • over  200 pairs in qualifications ,
  • either near  500 players involved  from this first edition.

An event that foreshadows a  new era for padel in French Polynesia .

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