The History of Padel

The history of padel has relatively recent and fascinating origins, tied to ingenuity and chance. Padel was born in the 1960s in Mexico, thanks to the idea of Enrique Corcuera, a Mexican businessman. In 1969, Corcuera wanted to build a tennis court in his garden, but the available space was limited and did not allow for a regulation court. Thus, he designed a smaller court, with walls around it to prevent the ball from ending up in the neighbors' gardens. These walls, however, soon became an integral part of the game, adding a new dimension to classic tennis.

Corcuera created specific rules for this new sport, initially calling it "paddle tennis," and began playing it with friends and family. However, the true boost to the spread of padel came when Alfonso de Hohenlohe, a Spanish friend of his, visited Corcuera in Mexico and became fascinated by the game. De Hohenlohe brought the idea back to Spain, building the first padel court in Marbella in 1974, and further adapted the rules to make the game more competitive and enjoyable. Thanks to his efforts and his social network, padel started to gain popularity among the Spanish upper class, especially along the Costa del Sol.

In the following years, padel spread rapidly in Spain and Argentina, where it was immensely successful. In particular, in Argentina, the game boomed in the 1980s, becoming one of the country’s most practiced sports. From there, padel expanded to other parts of the world, including Italy, Brazil, and the rest of Europe.

The real turning point came when professional tournaments and competitions were created. In the 1990s, the International Padel Federation (FIP) was established to regulate and promote the sport internationally. Since then, padel has experienced steady growth, with world championships, professional circuits, and increasing global interest.

Today, padel is played by millions of people around the world, with courts popping up in many cities and a growing, passionate community. Thanks to its combination of fun, accessibility, and sociality, it has become a global phenomenon that continues to grow year after year.