Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Axios Miami
Move over pickleball. Padel is the hottest thing in Miami
By Martin Vassolo,
2024-04-15
One of the trendiest sports in Miami is a tennis-like pastime that most locals probably haven't played yet.
Why it matters: Padel, a racquet sport with widespread international appeal that has begun spreading to America, is "the new golf," according to a former tennis pro-turned-Miami luxury real estate agent who conducts business on the court.
The agent, Marko Gojanovic, plays at the members-only Reserve padel club on Watson Island, the Washington Post reports. (Membership is invitation only and the price is unknown.)
"During Covid, a lot more people were in Florida, and it's the most popular thing here among a group of very-high-net-worth folks," Michael Stern, CEO and founder of JDS Development Group, told the Post.
How it works: Padel, invented in Mexico in 1969, is played with a deflated tennis ball and perforated paddles on a shrunken tennis court enclosed within glass walls.
It's played by over 25 million people around the world — especially popular in Spain and Argentina — but there's only about 300 padel courts in the U.S., the Post reported in January.
Padel is more physically demanding than its American cousin, pickleball, which has become the fastest-growing sport in the U.S.
And unlike pickleball, which can be easily played on re-lined tennis courts, padel courts are more expensive to install, and it isn't free to play.
The intrigue: Miami's celebrity class — from Inter Miami great Lionel Messi to Heat star Jimmy Butler — have helped market the sport. As have luxury developments, using padel courts to lure buyers.
Last month, the Reserve club hosted a star-studded tournament billed as the "largest independently owned padel tournament in the world."
This month, the Pro Padel League held a tournament at Little Haiti's Ultra Club.
What they're saying: "Miami by far has the highest popularity of padel of any U.S. city," says Robyn Duda, founder of the Racquet X festival, which debuted in Miami Beach last month.
"[Padel] definitely has a very chic, cachet, cool vibe to it," Duda tells Axios.
What's next: Padel will keep on growing in South Florida, with plans for new courts across the region.
Ultra Club announced it would expand from nine courts to 28 this month and later open a 150,000-square-foot complex with an on-site gym, spa and restaurant, the South Florida Business Journal reports.
Padel X , a new padel venture, is going to open 10 courts near the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center and 15 in Palm Beach County by year's end, per the Business Journal.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0