Padel
Why padel is the new obsession for top athletes across different sports
From pro footballers to star MotoGP™ riders, athletes everywhere are embracing padel. Here’s how the sport is influencing their training, recovery, and lifestyle – both on and off the court.
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What do F1 champion Max Verstappen, MotoGP™ star Pedro Acosta, and football legend Neymar Jr. have in common? They’re all taking up padel, the fast-growing racket sport. As padel gains global popularity, athletes are turning to it for its fitness and health benefits. It’s easy to learn and surprisingly addictive. While some see padel as just another fitness trend, it’s quickly becoming a key part of many athletes’ training routines. Here’s how padel is helping them improve their fitness – and how amateur players can get the same benefits.
01
Padel is the perfect match for high-performing athletes
Ask any elite athlete what they value in their training, and you’ll hear three things: functionality, recovery and enjoyment. Padel ticks all three.
Although padel can be played at a very fast pace at more advanced levels, it's generally considered a low-impact sport. There's no sprinting over long distances, crashing with team-mates or opponents, or extreme movements that stress the joints. The limited court dimensions mean more action in less space and the probability of injury is relatively low compared to other sports. That's a massive bonus for athletes who need to stay healthy at all costs, especially during their off-season.
Padel also promotes footwork, spatial awareness and rapid decision-making skills, which translate well into almost any sport. Unlike tennis, which can demand years of practice and technical training to feel competitive, padel is incredibly welcoming for beginners. As top player Alejandro Galán says: "I feel it's beautiful, a very social and elegant sport. Tennis has always been elegant, but padel has added some elements that tennis doesn't have, making the sport more spectacular and more fun, as it's more social."
Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini checked out the Premier Padel Miami P1
© Premier Padel/Red Bull Content Pool
Tennis star Matteo Berrettini is certainly the right person to validate and understand those differences Galán mentions, and he was seen with the padel legend at the Premier Padel Miami P1 tournament.
That feeling of making quick progress, combined with long-term challenge, is especially appealing to athletes who live for competition – even when they're supposed to be relaxing.
02
Big names, even bigger influence
When top athletes try something new, everyone pays attention and the names jumping into padel are making millions of people eager to try it.
Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen is one of the most high-profile figures to take up padel. He’s been seen on court during race weekends and downtime, often playing alongside team-mate Yuki Tsunoda. For athletes like F1 drivers, who frequently engage in precision and mental focus training, padel is an ideal way to stay sharp in a more casual environment.
MotoGP™ sensation Pedro Acosta has plays regularly, bringing his fearless style and insane reflexes to the padel court. Meanwhile, Olympic high jump champion Mutaz Barshim is using his unique athletic abilities to have a blast playing padel with other athletes, showing just how much this sport is crossing over into different athletic worlds.
But the padel fever doesn't stop with Verstappen, Tsunoda, Acosta or Barshim. Football icon Neymar Jr is one of the most visible padel ambassadors, often hosting matches with friends and fellow pros, and millions of fans have already seen content from the Brazilian star displaying his skills on the padel court.
For world-class athletes like these, padel has evolved from a hobby into a passion, a shared ritual and a way to continue building their communities of fans.
Down time training that doesn't feel like work
Recovery is an essential part of the equation for any high-level athlete, but finding activities that genuinely help both body and mind recover can be tough – and that's where padel shines.
Unlike the often monotonous workouts or strenuous cardio sessions, padel provides a variety of movements, opportunities for interaction and a healthy dose of competition. It keeps muscles active and improves reaction times without causing the exhaustion typically associated with high-impact sports or more demanding activities like running, cycling and weight training. Since matches are usually played in doubles, the physical workload is lighter and boosts in teamwork and communication.
The doubles format and small court make padel a perfect downtime game
© Premier Padel/Red Bull Content Pool
Padel needs teamwork and communication – perfect training for athletes
© Premier Padel/Red Bull Content Pool
Mentally, padel is a total release. Its easy structure makes it feel familiar for professional athletes, yet also relaxed enough to break away from the pressures of competition. There's no stopwatch ticking, no endless data tracking and no need to measure and control every tiny detail.
These features make padel a fun and engaging activity for the off-season or between training blocks. It's enjoyable, beneficial for the body and provides a genuine mental reset.
03
An unstoppable social movement
Athletes are the faces of this rise of padel buzz, but their fans' reactions and enthusiasm take their relevance to a greater dimension. Images of Verstappen and Tsunoda playing have sparked great interest, while Neymar Jr's posts about padel often generate as much buzz as his on-field highlights. These moments of endorsement build intrigue and give fans a fresh, human perspective on their favorite athletes, introducing them to a new sport.
Not just athletes love padel. Musician Daddy Yankee took in the Miami P1
© Premier Padel/Red Bull Content Pool
That aspirational effect is powerful. Watching a superstar switch from their respective sport to the padel court makes the game feel accessible and relatable. For a sport that still needs awareness and recognition, that kind of visibility is a great foundation to build upon.
04
More than just a trend
Bea González chases a shot at the OOREDOO Qatar Major
© Samo Vidic/Red Bull Content Pool
Padel's popularity goes way beyond the relevance of Premier Padel superstars like Alejandro Galán, Juan Lebrón or Bea González. Sparked by athletes from different sports, it’s now becoming a part of a larger cultural shift toward sports that are social, easy to get into and fit for busy schedules. With its short matches, small court size and low entry barrier, padel meets the moment, but these athlete endorsements are turning it into something way bigger.
When people see that pros from many sports are all enjoying the same activity, it sends a message: padel isn't just for racquet heads or former tennis players. It's for everyone. That democratisation is one of the reasons it's growing so quickly in places like the Middle East, Northern Europe and South America.
The passion for padel is growing with help from celebrity endorsement
© Premier Padel/Red Bull Content Pool
What started as a niche game in Spanish holiday resorts is now part of the daily routine for some of the world's great athletes, who are showing that no matter how obsessive their commitment is to their core craft, there’s room for padel in their routines.
As padel continues to evolve, its future may depend not only on court construction and tournaments, but also on the global athletes who casually and passionately champion it.
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