Exclusive: Olympia to host Premier Padel Tour London leg
Olympia will today be confirmed as the host venue for the Premier Padel Tour, as it heads to London for the first time this year.
Morning Wire revealed in December that the Kensington site was the front runner to host the tournament, which has the support of the Lawn Tennis Association.
The event – known as London Premier Padel P1 – will form part of the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour as the sport seeks inclusion in the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, and will take place at Olympia’s heritage halls, following the major £1.3bn transformation.
Arturo Coello, the top ranked male player, said: “Premier Padel arriving in London is incredibly exciting. The energy of the city, combined with such an iconic setting, is going to make it a really special week.
“We’ve seen how quickly padel is growing in the UK, so I’m sure the fans will create an unforgettable atmosphere.”
Padel at Olympia
Padel has experienced a boom in popularity across the UK, with over 1,000 courts now accessible to players.
The likes of Queen’s Club have adopted padel courts, while they are becoming a staple across Britain’s sporting infrastructure. Britain also boasts six of the world’s top 10 revenue generating clubs.
Stewart Hosford, chief of backers Sela International, said: “Announcing Olympia as the host venue and opening ticket sales marks a hugely exciting step in bringing London Premier Padel P1 to life.
“Olympia’s £1.3bn transformation provides an incredible stage for the world’s best players to play in the UK for the first time. We can’t wait to deliver an unforgettable experience that introduces even more fans to the energy and passion of padel.”
It comes after data from racquet sports booking app Playtomic last year showed the UK to be the sport’s third biggest market, behind only Spain and Italy.
The event will take place between 4 and 9 August.