(WSVN) – Consider if all the racket sports had a baby — that’s exactly why the sport of padel is reaching new heights.
What started as a sport for washed-up tennis players to continue their love for fuzzy green balls and charging nets has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.
With the help of businessman Wayne Boich, the sport has big plans in South Florida.
“The beauty of bringing this tournament here is that there’s guys like us that a lot of people in the padel community now know in the U.S.,” he said, “but there’s a difference between that and the best in the world. You have a lot of excitement around to see how great these guys actually are. I’m very happy to be able to put this on for the players, getting them exposure in the U.S., in a city like Miami. It’s gonna be great for the sport, great for the players.”
This past week, thousands of padel fans came out to see the best padel players compete in the inaugural Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open.
“This one is, by nature, a social sport, so it’s always four guys playing or four girls,” one man said. “You can mix and match levels and adjust, seeing the super high, top-level players is really something impressive.”
“It’s a dream come true for me, for all the players, for everyone who loves padel and, hopefully, we will be here again next year,” one player said.
The sport’s popularity has even garnered the interest of South Florida’s biggest athletes and entertainers, who have become overnight padel fans.
“It’s the first but it’s already the biggest,” said rapper Rick Ross. “The biggest boss is here. It just feels good to be here. It’s a lot of legends and future legends in the city, man. Here we go, we making history.”
7Sports’ Donovan Campbell even got a chance to play against Miami Heat All-Star Jimmy Butler.
“This is for everybody,” Butler said. “It’s a big, competitive sport. Even when you’re as athletic as I think I am, you can be beat by anybody.”
Which is how his match against Campbell went.
“I let you score,” Butler said. “I gotta keep you my friend so you say good things about me in the media.”
Tournament organizers have also worked with local businessmen in the community to raise over $1 million.
“It’s all about giving back to the community,” Butler said. “We’ll be giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to local charities which is important to us, because this is our city, this is a place that we love.”
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