Padel is experiencing a  rapid growth  at the global level, with more and more tournaments, fans and media coverage. But if we compare the  financial gains  offered to players, the gap remains immense compared to tennis. Analysis.

Comparison by category

Tournament level in tennisApproximate equivalent to padelTennis (ATP) – Winner*Padel (Premier Padel) – Winner (per player)
 Grand Chelem ≈  Premier Padel Major  3,5 M €  ~€47 
 1000 Masters ≈  Premier Padel P1  ~€900  ~€25 to €000 
 ATP 500 ≈  Premier Padel P2  ~€400  ~€10 to €000 
*Amounts given  per player (in singles) , rounded, variable depending on the edition.
  •  A winner of Grand Chelem  wins  about 57 times more  than a winner of a Major Premier Padel.
  • Un  ATP 500  reports more than  25 times  what a P2 can offer.
  • Even the P1s, although “premium” in padel, remain very far from the  Masters 1000 tennis .

Why such a gap?

There are several reasons for this difference:

  1.  History and structure  Tennis is a century-old sport, long-established, with major sponsors and a global audience.
  2.  Media coverage  : Tennis TV rights (e.g. Roland Garros, Wimbledon) are worth hundreds of millions. Padel rights remain marginal.
  3.  Revenue sharing  : The padel circuits are still in the structuring phase. Premier Padel is recent (2022), and the economic model is under construction.
  4.  Number of professional players  : There is  fewer well-paid professional players  in padel. Outside of the top 20, few manage to make a living from the circuit without sponsors.

An encouraging dynamic for padel

Despite the gap,  padel is progressing quickly . The prize money on Premier Padel are constantly increasing, that of the Rome Major had never been so substantial. The ambition of the circuit is clear:  reach the level of tennis in the medium term , at least on major events.

Teo Vieau

He discovered padel in 2016 in Nantes and quickly became attached to the game, even climbing to 474th place in France. Commentator on Padel Mag TV, he covers the various tournaments on the French circuit as well as international tournaments organized in France!