Padel is everywhere. From Brussels to Dubai, Stockholm, and Buenos Aires, it has become the fastest-growing racket sport in the world. Its tournaments fill stadiums, and its stars are increasingly in the media spotlight. But where does this hybrid sport come from, which cleverly blends tennis, squash, and Basque pelota?
Contrary to popular belief, padel is not a Spanish invention, nor was it born from a sports marketing decision. Its origin is much more romantic, involving a wealthy Mexican businessman, a court that was too small, and a bit of creativity.
Here is the fascinating story, the true historical globo that launched this global sport.
A Creator and a Constraint: Enrique Corcuera, 1969
The story begins in 1969 at the luxurious residence of Enrique Corcuera in Acapulco, Mexico. Corcuera, a businessman passionate about racket sports, wanted to build a tennis court.
However, he encountered a major constraint: the court he had on his property was too small and was bordered by walls and vegetation.
Invention by Necessity
Instead of abandoning his project, Corcuera had the brilliant idea to turn a constraint into a strength:
- He had a court built that was smaller than normal (approximately 20 by 10 meters).
- To prevent balls from ending up in the vegetation, he had walls and fences about 3 meters high erected all around the court.
- He used solid wooden rackets (without strings), because the space did not allow for the power of a tennis game.
This new game, which he initially named “Paddle Corcuera” or “Paddle Tennis,” was born. The use of the walls became the rule, adding a unique tactical dimension.
Stage 1: Padel Crosses the Atlantic, 1970-1980
Enrique Corcuera’s invention would have remained just a private pastime without the intervention of a friend from Spanish high society, Prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe-Langenburg.
- The move to Marbella: Visiting Corcuera in the early 1970s, Prince Alfonso fell in love with this new sport. Back in Spain, on the Costa del Sol, he had the country’s first two padel courts built at the Marbella Club.
- Standardization: Alfonso de Hohenlohe is often credited with standardizing the rules (including the underhand serve) and with building glass courts (replacing opaque walls), making the game faster and more spectacular for spectators.
It was in Marbella that padel became a true fashion phenomenon among the Spanish elite.
Stage 2: The Explosion in Argentina
Padel arrived in Argentina almost at the same time as in Spain. The country adopted it with unparalleled fervor, transforming it from an elite sport to a popular one.
In the 1980s, Argentina experienced a real padel boom, quickly surpassing Spain in the number of players and courts. It was the first nation to see padel democratized in clubs and neighborhoods, thus forging a more aggressive and acrobatic game culture that still dominates today.
In 1991, the International Padel Federation (FIP) was created, officially recognizing this new sport.
Stage 3: The Conquest of the World (2010 to Today)
For decades, padel remained an “Spain-Argentina-Mexico triangle.” Its true global expansion is recent:
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Period | Key Regions Expansion Factors |
| 2010 – 2018 | Nordic Countries (Sweden, Finland) and Italy Adoption by former tennis stars, investment in luxury indoor courts. |
| 2018 – 2023 | France, Belgium, Middle East Massive construction of courts, democratization by celebrities and social media. |
| 2023 – Today | Global Expansion Creation of the Premier Padel circuit, unification of rankings under the FIP, and internationalization of events (Middle East, Americas). |
Today, padel is no longer an exotic sport. It is a professional sport with a global structure, millions of licensed players, and unprecedented media presence. The Acapulco court, designed to circumvent a space problem, has become the model for a global sport.
It took nearly 60 years for Enrique Corcuera’s idea to become a global reality, proving that sometimes, the best inventions are born from the smallest constraints.
What is the next big step you anticipate for the evolution of padel: its entry into the Olympic Games or the definitive conquest of the American market?
