E is for Enrique Corcuera founder of first Padel court in Acapulco in 1969

 Despite feeling like a recent revelation, it was 1969 when a wealthy Mexican sports fanatic named Enrique Corcuera accidently invented Padel.

Corcuera scaled down a Tennis court due to a lack of space in his garden, before enclosing it with walls to stop the balls bouncing away.

Due to the enclosed nature of his newfound sport Corcuera swapped out Tennis rackets for a smaller wooden paddle and with that a new phenomenon was born.

Originally, Corcuera only planned to play his newfound hobby with friends and family but after conversations with a wealthy friend and businessman named Alfonso de Hohenlohe, Padel would soon begin to grow. 

After being invited to Corcuera’s house to play the novel sport, Alfonso fell in love with the idea of Padel.

One of Alfonso’s business ventures included owning the Marbella Club, a well-known meeting point for the grand families of Europe and the stars of Hollywood. 

With the resources to turn Padel dreams into a reality, Alfonso constructed the first two Padel courts in Europe right there in Marbella in 1974, five years after he first played the sport.

After the construction of the courts, Padel spread like wildfire and it wasn’t long before King Juan Carlos was playing it.

Padel, although its own sport is a descendant of Tennis, so it’s no surprise that Wimbledon champion Manola Santana was also keen to try his hand and the new up and coming sport. 

While Padel might feel like a recent revelation it has been popular in Spain for nearly 40 years, and its rise continues right here in the UK with courts beginning to pop up across the country.

If you’re looking to find a court local to you, our list might be of some help. You can also check out our videos of Padel or find out more about the sport here.