A Brief History of Padel
Padel was first played in Acapulco, Mexico, in 1969 when Enrique Corcuera created a new sport suitable for his property’s limited space. By modifying a tennis court and enclosing it with walls, he gave birth to padel.
In 1974, Prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe built the first European padel courts in Marbella, Spain, after experiencing the game at Corcuera’s residence. He constructed two courts at the Marbella Club, sparking interest among locals and tourists.
Padel reached Argentina in 1975, introduced by entrepreneur Julio Menditenguia. He built courts in Mar del Plata, establishing padel as a popular pastime. Today, about 2 million Argentinians play padel on over 10,000 courts.
In Spain, the padel boom began in the early 1990s. Madrid hosts thousands of padel courts, including prominent clubs like Club de Padel La Moraleja. As of 2023, Spain has an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 padel courts.
