Lily James, Andy Murray And A Million Britons: Padel’s Rise Nears Milestone

It was erstwhile seen arsenic a quirky upstart aliases continental fad. But padel now has astir a cardinal players crossed nan UK aft information levels much than doubled successful 2025.

According to LTA figures seen by nan Guardian, 860,000 Britons played padel astatine slightest erstwhile past twelvemonth – up from 400,000 successful 2024 and 129,000 successful 2023 – arsenic nan racket sport’s dizzying emergence continued.

The LTA, tennis’s nationalist governing body, puts nan bonzer roar down to padel’s accessibility, pinch beginners capable to play successful minutes, much courts, and nan cool facet from celebrities specified arsenic Eva Longoria, Lily James and Cristiano Ronaldo taking up nan sport.

Rapper Stormzy and tennis prima Andy Murray person besides go vocal advocates for nan fast-paced racket sport, which combines galore of nan rules and scoring strategy of tennis pinch immoderate elements of squash, including a backmost wall. However it is easier to study arsenic each serves are underarm and nan tribunal is simply a 3rd of nan size of a modular tennis court.

Tom Murray, nan LTA’s caput of padel, told nan Guardian: “The maturation of padel, some successful Britain and globally, is undeniable, pinch information rising astatine an exponential rate. It’s a fun, fast-paced and accessible athletics that is attracting caller players each day.

“As much courts are built crossed Great Britain, much group than ever are stepping connected to nan tribunal to effort it for themselves,” he added. “From high-profile figures successful intermezo and sport, specified arsenic Lily James, Eva Longoria, Andy Murray and Cristiano Ronaldo padel’s visibility continues to increase, inspiring much group to prime up a racket.

“What makes padel peculiarly appealing is really easy it is to get started, galore players tin rally and play points from their very first session, instantly enjoying nan physical, societal and intelligence wellness benefits.”

By nan extremity of 2025 location were 1,553 padel courts crossed 559 venues successful nan UK. That fig is up from 870 courts crossed 293 venues successful 2024, and conscionable 69 courts erstwhile nan LTA took complete nan governance of nan athletics successful 2020.

The LTA expects those figures to emergence again successful 2026, though location has been occasional pushback from immoderate residents astir nan sound of nan game.

Last month, for instance, a bid to build 4 caller padel courts successful York was rejected after residents complained that “having floodlights connected 7 days a week and nan gunshot sound of nan padel racket” would “discourage nan birds and animals we stock this location with”.

However small seems capable to extremity padel’s momentum, fixed nan athletics - which was invented successful Mexico successful nan precocious 60s - has surged successful fame astatine amateur and master level since nan pandemic.

In August, London will shape nan biggest master tourney ever held successful nan UK erstwhile nan Premier Padel Tour arrives for nan first time.

Last week nan International Padel Federation besides announced that nan athletics would beryllium a badge arena astatine adjacent year’s European Games successful Istanbul – which it said was “a basal measurement connected nan pathway towards Olympic participation”.

And while nan athletics is seen arsenic mediate class, nan LTA recovered nan mean off-peak tribunal booking costs astir £7 per personification per hr – based connected 4 group playing.

“With 860,000 group playing successful 2025, complete 10 cardinal expressing liking successful trying nan sport, and astir 1,600 courts now successful spot crossed hundreds of venues, padel’s momentum is undeniable,” added Tom Murray.