Playing padel outdoors reconnects with the very essence of the sport. While the current trend is increasingly pushing to organize indoor competitions for logistical reasons, it would be a shame to neglect outdoor play, which brings a unique richness to professional padel.

Padel, a historically outdoor sport

Padel was born outdoors in Mexico in the 1970s. It developed in often variable weather conditions, under the sun, sometimes with wind. This outdoor dimension is part of its identity. It makes the game more open, more strategic, with a constant element of adaptation.

The history of padel: do you know everything?

A technical and mental challenge for the players

Outdoors, conditions can vary from one point to the next: the sun can impede vision, the wind can deflect trajectories, and the temperature can alter ball speeds. Players must constantly adapt, be creative, and develop a keen reading of the game.

An exceptional showcase for sport

Outdoor padel allows for tournaments to be held in iconic locations, attracting large crowds. In France, Paris Major at Roland-Garros is a perfect example. Similarly, tournaments in Marbella or Buenos Aires, on the seafront or in historic squares, offer spectacular visibility to padel. This helps anchor the sport in the urban and cultural landscape.

We also think of this famous stage from the time of the World Padel Tour in Valladolid, which has left such a lasting impression... and which could return under the banner of Premier Padel...

valladolid master 2023

A stronger television rendering

Outdoor television broadcasts benefit from a much more attractive visual setting. The sky, natural light, and vibrant backgrounds add extra dynamics to the images, better capturing the audience's attention.

Preserving the richness of the game

One of the dangers of an exclusively indoor circuit would be to standardize playing conditions. Fewer surprises, less adaptation, less diversity in player profiles. Padel needs this variation to remain exciting to watch. Each tournament should have its own flavor, its own constraints, just like tennis, which varies between clay, grass, and hard courts.

Outdoor padel should not be sacrificed on the altar of practicality, even if we see many professional players criticizing outdoor tournaments. It embodies an authentic, spectacular, and strategic dimension of this sport. To preserve the essence of padel and continue to inspire the public, it is essential to maintain a significant proportion of outdoor competitions on the professional circuit.

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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