Bienvenidos a El Remate! I’m Aris, a padel-obsessed Missourian who spent two years living in Argentina and Spain to deeply understand the sport’s culture, strategy, and business. I’ve played and competed across 3 continents and 12 countries, and recently started documenting my journey on Instagram.
Each week, I curate what matters in padel: new US club openings, technique tips, my takes on international headlines and pro drama, plus insider knowledge from the global circuit. Subscribe for weekly updates! 📧
🔍 Topics we’ll cover this weekPadel is now a 40-million-player sport, thanks to the International Padel Federation’s new 2026 World Report. But while the sport compounds globally, the US still has some serious catching up to do.
Oh, and the FIP is cracking down on paid player partnerships & nationality representation, Milan is handing out NBA-style championship rings, and Aston Martin is getting into padel. Just another week, baby!
Also in this issue:
— How to make servers miserable on return
— Multimillion-dollar investments and M&A deals
— The top player also… becoming a doctor?
…and plenty more. Dale campeón!
🇺🇸 Court OpeningsComing Soon
Capital City Padel Club is bringing three outdoor courts inside the Washington, D.C. city limits for the first time, with a Spring 2027 opening planned. Operated by Tennis Central, the club plans to host leagues, clinics, youth camps, and community events; preview events are also expected this fall.
Now Open
Padel Society just opened in southeast Austin, TX, featuring six air-conditioned indoor courts with ceilings up to 40 feet, plus a 360 bar right between the action. The club features coaching led by former national No. 1 Paloma Cortina, clinics for all skill levels, and a match concierge to connect players at similar levels.
SSC Wynwood just opened in Miami, FL, with five courts (three covered, two outdoor) and play running until 1am daily. Programming includes beginner classes, kids’ programs, and rotating-doubles socials. The multi-sport complex also features soccer fields, 30+ arcade games, laser tag, party rooms, and a sports bar serving Latin cuisine.
📈 Up Your Game Break Their Serve!
When returning the serve, your job is to make your opponents’ lives miserable as they charge the net. In this 19-minute video, Coach Sven gave me four great takeaways:
Play low to the server’s feet. The goal is to make the server’s first volley as uncomfortable as possible. A controlled, low return aimed at their feet forces them to lift the ball, giving you and your partner a chance to take control of the point.
Target the middle. When the server is moving forward, a return into their body or backhand can be far more effective than trying to thread the ball down the line. Also, a soft return to the server gives them less pace to work with and can make it harder to attack.
Take short serves early. If your opponent serves short, take it shortly after the bounce when you can control it, and you’ll rob the server of precious time to get into position.
You can also attack the player already at the net. If you need to hit a faster return, aim it at the opponent who’s already waiting at the net. The net player has less time to react and may be forced into a weak block, giving you an easier next ball to attack.
Suerte!
🌍 International Happenings Global Scene Booming, US Catching Up (🌍🇺🇸)
And just like that, another report dropped… this time, on the global front!
The International Padel Federation (FIP) just released its 2026 World Padel Report, in collaboration with Italian consulting firm OpenEconomics. And there are some pretty cool metrics worth showcasing:
40M+ active players worldwide, officially updating the ~35M benchmark we’ve been tracking
91,200+ courts globally, up 20.4% YoY, with nearly 14,000 new courts built in the last twelve months alone
$9.6 billion in GDP impact across 235,000 jobs, with global consumer expenditure topping $7.7 billion
Every dollar spent on the sport now generates $1.26 in broader economic output
434 confirmed FIP tournaments across 62 countries in 2026, up from 290 last year
It’s really cool to see padel becoming a true mainstream phenomenon worldwide, extending well beyond its established strongholds in Spain and Argentina.
Meanwhile from an American POV, I see nothing but a widening infrastructure gap between us and our friends abroad… at least for now. Sure, we’re growing, but at a much slower pace given the often impractical financial challenges facing both operators and players alike.
Until we see drastic changes to our public recreation infrastructure, growing well beyond our ~460K active player base is going to be a strenuous uphill climb. And like it or not, the sport is compounding globally, with or without us.
But for now, you’re here reading this, and you can help fight the good fight as an early adopter.
🏆 Pro Padel Roundup Copying the NBA & NFL (🇮🇹)
At this point, Golden Boys Coello / Tapia are inevitable. The men’s world No. 1s stormed back from a set down to beat No. 3s Lebrón / Augsburger 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 at the Milan P1. That’s four consecutive titles, totaling 12 this season. At least Lebrón / Augsburger pulled off a 0-6, 6-2, 6-2 stunner against No. 2s Chingalán in the Semis...
Speaking of Augsburger… he and his sponsor, Siux (who’s backing him through 2040), just unveiled the Argentine’s own burger-shaped logo. Surprise, surprise… it’s a playful nod to his last name.
Meanwhile on the women’s side, No. 3s Sánchez / Ustero rallied from 2-5 down to beat No. 2s Josemaría / González 7-6, 6-3 in the Finals. The win marks their fifth title of the season and gives Sánchez 58 career titles, tying Gemma Triay and Ale Salazar for the most in women’s padel history.
Meanwhile, Milan took some American inspo, borrowing a page from the NBA and NFL with custom championship rings decked out in diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and even a miniature Duomo.
Looking ahead, the tour heads to Kuwait for its first-ever Kuwait Major, October 26-31, before the FIP World Cup takes over Doha, November 2-7. National pride will need to replace partner chemistry as countries battle for the world title.
🎯 Quick Hits Remember the controversy surrounding Íñigo Jofre’s potentially paid partnership with a much lower-ranked player at a FIP tournament in Albania back in May? Well, the FIP has now explicitly banned paid partnerships between players. The federation is also planning new restrictions on player naturalization by 2027. The rationale is that a country should not be able to simply “sign” players from another country by throwing money at them (cough cough, UAE). (🌍)
Chicago-based Rally just acquired Charlotte-based Tenniscores, a racquet sports league-management platform, which collectively serve 800+ leagues, 500 clubs, and 1 million players across the US. Padel is among the sports the companies aim to support as organized league play grows. (🇺🇸)
UK club operator Rocket Padel just raised over $9 million to finance two new London venues, including a 9-court club and 11-court site. (🇬🇧)
French sports-tech company Spash just raised a $2.2 million Series A to expand its automated video & analytics technology across racquet sports, including padel. Nearly 450 centers are reportedly already using its tools. (🇫🇷)
Padel’s global governing body just added 15 countries, bringing its membership to 115 national federations. Zambia, Belarus, and 13 other newcomers are officially in the fold. The FIP also unveiled plans for a new World League and expanded initiatives for players with disabilities. (🌍)
Aston Martin’s Formula One team is teaming up with Michigan-based Padeltek to launch a co-branded collection of three padel rackets and three racket bags. (🇬🇧🇺🇸)
Indonesia is officially emerging as one of padel’s biggest growth markets, reportedly adding 2,500+ courts in a year and surpassing 750 clubs. The country’s estimated economic impact from padel has reached €335.5 million, increasingly extending beyond traditional European strongholds. (🇮🇩)
Did you know Marta Ortega became the youngest player to reach world No. 1 at age 22 while simultaneously completing medical school? In a recent interview, the star (aka Tapia’s girlfriend) discusses balancing elite competition with medical training and her long-term ambition to practice sports orthopedics. (🇪🇸)
🤩 Cool Court of the Week📍 Ngaparou, 🇸🇳
More info here!
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See you next week & keep smashing those volleys 🎾