Pickleball Who? Padel Is the Moment

The cooler, older sibling racquet sport.

Daria Smith

January 30, 2025

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Move over, pickleball — there’s a new game town and it’s not just for the silver set.

With 30 million players worldwide and celeb fans like David Beckham and Serena Williams, padel is officially having a moment.

We first got wind of the emerging racquet sport via Real Housewives of Dubai, when Chanel Ayan and Lesa Milan kicked off the season with a chic game of padel. So, what’s padel you might ask? Basically, it’s the love child of tennis and pickleball with a dash of squash thrown in. Confused? Stay with us.

Padel (pronounced pah-dehl,) originated in 1969 in Mexico when businessman Enrique Corcuera modified his squash court to welcome elements of platform tennis. According to Macron, the Dutch padel gear company, in the 1970s, a Spanish friend of Corcuera brought padel to Spain where it is considered one of the most popular sports in the country. Fast forward to 2025 and it’s now the fastest-growing racket sport in Europe and Latin America (and Dubai, apparently.) According to the Playtomic Global Padel Report 2024, in 2023 alone courts grew by 26%, and by 2024, 4.5 million rackets were sold. By 2026? By 2026, the number of padel courts is expected to soar to an impressive 70,000.

Unlike pickleball’s quirky plastic ball and unique scoring system (we love you, but you’re a lot), padel sticks to tennis-style scoring. Plus, it’s easy to pick up. Think of it as pickleball’s cooler, worldlier older sibling — the one who went abroad for a semester and came back effortlessly chic. Fashionable spots like The Matcha Club in Dubai and Padel Club in West Palm Beach are proving padel isn’t just a sport — it’s a vibe. Because in the words of Ayan, "Why be basic when we can be this fabulous?"

If you’re ready to hit the courts, we’ve got you covered:

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Free People Never Better Dress

Serve on and off the court with the Never Better Dress — your buttery-soft go-to with a built-in bra and shorts.

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‍Wilson Women's Hurakn 2.0 Padel Shoes

Pro Torque Chassis Light features arch technology built for speed and comfort to provide ultimate stability and flexibility.

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FENIX SPORTIER Harbour Bag - Natural Canvas

Bring an air of quiet luxury to the club + court with the chic "Harbour Bag" carryall tote. A streamlined side pocket chicly holds a pickleball, padel or tennis racket, leaving a roomy interior with two-way zipper closure and a gorgeous leather zipped pouch that can be removed and used as a mini clutch or wallet.

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