Lionel Messi enjoys indulging in padel with his Inter Miami teammates during his spare time. Similarly, Rafael Nadal was recently spotted showcasing his skills on a padel court at his academy in Spain. But what exactly is this increasingly popular racket sport that has everyone intrigued?
The answer will soon be revealed to an American audience as the Premier Padel tour makes its grand entrance into the United States this month. A tournament in Miami marks this significant debut. Unlike exhibitions featuring retired tennis players as seen in pickleball, Premier Padel offers a more competitive platform.
Premier Padel positions itself as a global circuit, drawing parallels to professional tennis tours with four major tournaments at iconic venues including Roland Garros in Paris and the Foro Italico in Rome. The Miami tournament holds a P1-level status, ranking just below these premier events in importance, akin to the Miami Open tennis tournament.
Fernando Belasteguín, the recently retired padel maestro and currently the director of the Miami tournament, expressed, “I am convinced that the arrival of Premier Padel in Miami will create a significant impact. Just like it has in Paris, Rome, and every location it visits.”
Padel is uniquely played in doubles within a cage, smaller than a tennis court. It blends elements of tennis and squash, allowing players to hit the ball off surrounding glass and metal mesh walls.
The tournament is scheduled from March 18-23 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Although not the first high-profile padel event in the U.S., it is the inaugural one since Premier Padel and the World Padel Tour merged, creating a unified global tour that took off last year. The World Padel Tour previously held events in Miami in 2017 and 2022, milestones in the fast-evolving padel landscape.
According to a study by the International Padel Federation, the U.S. has witnessed a 186% increase in padel courts over the past two years, with over 650 courts now scattered across 31 states. “It’s not just an annual growth; it’s happening month by month,” noted Belasteguín.
With Florida serving as a hub for the sport, almost half of the country’s padel courts are located there. “The Latin community is the beating heart of padel in Miami,” mentioned Belasteguín. He added, “Once Americans get familiar with padel, they fall in love with it fast. The Latinos introduced the sport to the U.S., and now, it’s capturing the hearts of Americans as well.”
