What started as a Mediterranean pastime has exploded across the UK.  It offers a unique fusion of tennis and squash, drawing interest from sports enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds. Its accessibility, being easier to play compared to tennis and squash, along with its compact court size, makes it ideal for urban environments like London.

Padel’s rising profile is evident with endorsements from notable figures such as tennis legend Rafael Nadal and football stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos..

With stats to back it up it unmatched growth in the UK. Data from Playtomic, the world’s leading racquet-sports platform, shows the UK has surged to become the third-largest padel market globally in terms of club revenue, leapfrogging over 50 more entrenched padel nations.
• In March 2025, over 40,000 new players joined Playtomic-affiliated UK clubs, following a year where the total player count tripled, with occupancy regularly hitting 88%.
• London venues have seen traffic soar to 90–95% capacity, with courts booked from 6 am to 11 pm daily.

The founders of the much loved app Playtomic

This boom isn’t just media hype—while outlets like the Daily Mail noted Brits logged “5,000+ hours of padel per day”, the deeper numbers from Playtomic paint a story of explosive adoption and sustained usage.

The influx isn’t limited to ex-tennis pros—padel’s ease of learning, upbeat social vibe, and low barrier to entry are drawing players en masse. Celebrity interest—from Eva Longoria to Serena Williams—adds glamor, but the real catalyst is padel’s accessible appeal and game-day camaraderie. Its not unusual to end up playing a cricketer, footballer or a reality tv star on random matches at clubs.

With the increase of love for Padel its only normal that people start to plan their holidays around the sport enter Club Águilas: The “Michelin Guide for Padel”.

To highlight elite venues worldwide, Club Águilas—a curated online guide launched in 2024 by Ben Nichols and Joe Middleton—is awarding “Eagles Wings” to the crème de la crème of padel clubs and resorts

Below are the courts at Velaa a private island in the Maldives

At the inaugural Awards in Miami (March 2025), luxury venues like Reserve Seaplane (Club of the Year) and NIHI Sumba (Resort of the Year) received top honors, celebrating the pinnacle of padel travel and lifestyle

In England alone, three venues—including Padel Social Club in Earls Court—were selected among 16 elite global destinations. So for your next trip away why not include a luxury padel stop and consult some of the most picturesque clubs, or if you just want to treat yourself you can visit the clubs in listed in the UK to start with. Although not sure they quite compete with NIHI Sumba you can see below.

So why has it taken off in the UK? Court culture: Urban clubs are buzzing from dawn till dusk most now contain a social element be it a bar, a run club or even just a meet up class which helps people get to make friends and just get out the house. Padel being a community event has really helped grow the sport and seeing tens of thousands joining every month. Not just tennis or squash converts; but new players of all fitness levels find it appealing because its so easy to pick up and start play. Padel is no fad—it’s quickly cementing itself as the UK’s most dynamic new participation sport. With unrivalled growth metrics, celebrity spotlight, community-driven appeal, and elite venues getting global recognition, it’s poised to redefine the country’s active lifestyle scene. So if youre starting the sport check out the playtomic app to get started or if youre a seasoned pro maybe its time to arrnage your first padel holiday check out Club Águilas.