Origins and Early Development of Padel

Enrique Corcuera's Innovation

The genesis of padel can be attributed to the ingenuity of Enrique Corcuera, a Mexican businessman with a passion for tennis. Faced with space constraints at his vacation home in Acapulco, Corcuera sought a creative solution to accommodate his love for racquet sports.

Drawing inspiration from platform tennis, a similar sport played on a smaller court with paddles, he adapted his squash court by incorporating walls, thus creating the first padel court.

First Court Design

This innovative approach gave birth to a unique sport that combined the elements of tennis, squash, and platform tennis. The enclosed court, measuring 20 meters long by 10 meters wide, allowed for dynamic gameplay with the walls becoming an integral part of the game.

Initially, these courts were constructed with concrete surfaces and wire mesh fences, reflecting the rudimentary nature of the sport's early development.

Alfonso de Hohenlohe's Role

The pivotal moment in padel's journey from a local pastime to an international sport came in 1974 when Alfonso de Hohenlohe-Langenburg, a Spanish friend of Corcuera, introduced the sport to Spain.

Hohenlohe, captivated by the unique appeal of padel, constructed the first European padel club in Marbella. The sport quickly gained traction among the Spanish elite, including King Juan Carlos and tennis legend Manolo Santana, further propelling its popularity.

Early Spanish Development

Early padel courts were characterized by their simplicity and functionality. Concrete was the predominant material used for both the playing surface and the surrounding walls.

Wire mesh fences were sometimes employed as an alternative to solid walls, providing a basic enclosure for the court. These early courts, while lacking the sophistication of modern designs, served as the foundation for the sport's development.

Political Influence

A significant milestone in padel's popularization came in 1996 when Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar was frequently photographed playing the sport. His public engagement with padel brought unprecedented media attention during a crucial period when the sport was emerging as an alternative to tennis. The 1990s proved to be a fundamental decade for padel's expansion, with Aznar's visibility helping to mainstream what was still considered a niche sport by many Spaniards.