Padel’s rise in France brings Roland Garros courts to Paris Major
Renan Tolentino of RFI in Paris padel – a racket sport played in doubles with a green ball – is now a staple of French sport, boasting more than 850,000 participants and prompting the adaptation of Roland Garros courts for the Paris Major.
Rapid growth across France
The French Tennis Federation, which governs padel in the country, says the sport is expanding fast throughout Europe, with France leading the way. 850,000 players, from celebrities to everyday enthusiasts, now practise the game that originated in Mexico at the end of the 1960s. Its appeal cuts across ages and social groups, reinforcing padel’s status as a pan‑European phenomenon.
Community appeal and player voices
Amateur players describe padel as “fun”, “playful”, “convivial” and “challenging”. Philippe, a 27‑year‑old real‑estate agent, swapped tennis for padel and eventually opened his own club. Aurélie, a 42‑year‑old clerk, was drawn by the sport’s accessibility and the community spirit it fosters.
“I have been playing for six years. I started because it’s fun. Before I played tennis, but gradually I switched to padel because it is much more playful and I can play with my friends,” Philippe explained.
“I have been playing for about two years. I started because of my husband, who had been playing longer. When we opened padel courts at our club, I jumped in,” Aurélie said. She added that the convivial nature of doubles “creates a community around the sport” and that padel is “very enjoyable, promotes good interactions and is very challenging, making you think, especially when you want to progress”.
Roland Garros hosts the Paris Major
More than 81,000 spectators attended the Paris Major in September, an international padel championship that has been staged at Roland Garros since 2022. High‑profile guests included PSG forwards Ferran Torres and Fabián Ruiz, club president Nasser Al‑Khelaïfi and football legend‑turned‑coach Zinedine Zidane.
To accommodate padel, the historic tennis courts were fitted with glass walls at the back and metal grids on the sides, forming a sealed box. The walls stand four metres high; the ball only leaves the court if it passes these barriers, and every match is contested in doubles.
During the event, Ferran Torres told the International Padel Federation, “I don’t have much time, but whenever I can I play padel”.
Philippe summed up the mood, saying, “When we get to Roland Garros it’s incredible to see these players on historic courts – I think this is just the beginning”.