Padel is a sport that has quickly gained popularity all over the world. It is a racquet sport similar to tennis and squash that is played in pairs. The World Padel Tour (WPT) is the most prestigious professional padel tour in the world and has been growing at a rapid rate since its inception in 2005. It has become a major sporting event in many countries.
This article will provide a comprehensive guide to understanding the World Padel Tour, including its history, how it works, the types of tournaments, and the top players and the teams. We will also cover how to watch, training and techniques, benefits of playing, and the future of the sport.
Introduction to the World Padel Tour (WPT)
The World Padel Tour is a professional tour with competitions and rankings that was founded in Spain in 2005. It is the most important padel event in the world, and features the best players from around the globe competing head on similar to that of tennis tournaments.
The tour has a total of 20 tournaments, with the final round of competition being the most important. The WPT has grown in popularity over the years, and is now broadcasted on television and streaming in many countries around the world.
History of Padel and the World Padel Tour
Padel is a sport that was invented in Mexico in 1969, and was introduced to Spain shortly afterwards. It is a combination of tennis and squash, and is played on a smaller court with walls. The sport took off quickly in Spain with many players young and old joining in trying it out. It soon spread to other countries around Europe and across the Atlantic to South America.
The World Padel Tour was founded in 2005 by the Spanish Padel Federation, with the first tournament held in Spain. Since then, the tour has grown and has become a major sporting event around world.
How the World Padel Tour Works
The World Padel Tour is a professional tour that is sanctioned and organized by the International Padel Federation (FIP) that is based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The tour features both men’s and women’s events, and is divided into different categories based on the number of points that are awarded to the winners. It is a doubles format with pairs made up from any nationality. The tour has a total of 20 tournaments, with the final tournament being the most important. The winners of each tournament are awarded points, which are used to determine the rankings of the players and teams.
There is also a national world teams format with countries compete for top honours in The World Padel Championships. The last world championship was help in Dubai 2022 with Argentina as the top team in the male category and Spain as the top team in the female category.
The Different Types of Tournaments in the WPT
The WPT features different types of tournaments, including Master tournaments, Open tournaments, Challenger tournaments, and Exhibition tournaments.
- Master tournaments are the most important tournaments, and are only open to the top-ranked players and teams.
- Open tournaments are open to all players and teams, and are held in different countries around the world.
- Challenger tournaments are for players who are not ranked in the top 50, and are held in different countries as well.
- Exhibition tournaments are held for promotional purposes, and are not part of the official tour.
The Top Players and Teams
The World Padel Tour features some of the best players and teams in the world. The top players include Juan Lebron (1) & Alesandro Galan (1), Arturo Coello (2) & Augustin Tapia (2), Fernando Belasteguín (7), Juan Martín Díaz, Paquito Navarro, and Sanyo Gutiérrez. See the full mens rankings here.
The top women’s players include Ariana Sánchez (1) & Paula Josemaria (1), Alejandra Salazar (2) & Gemma Triay Pons (3), Marta Marrero, Marta Ortega, and Alejandra Salazar. See the full womens rankings here.
The top teams include Bela-Lima, Paquito-Navarro, Juan Martín-Díaz, and Sanyo-Gutiérrez. These players and teams have won numerous tournaments and have helped make the World Padel Tour the most prestigious professional padel tour in the world.
How to Watch
The World Padel Tour is broadcasted in many countries around the world, including Spain, Argentina, Mexico, and Italy. The matches can also be watched online, through the official website of the World Padel Tour. The website provides live streaming of the matches, as well as highlights and replays of previous matches. Fans can also follow the World Padel Tour on social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Training and Techniques for Playing Padel
Padel is a sport that requires skill, strategy, and physical fitness. Players need to have good hand-eye coordination, as well as good footwork and agility. The sport also requires players to have good communication skills, as it is played in pairs.
Some of the techniques and strategies that are used in padel include the lob, the smash, the volley, and the drop shot. Players can improve their skills by practicing regularly, taking lessons from professional coaches, and watching matches of the top players.
The Benefits of Playing Padel
Padel is a sport that offers numerous benefits to players. It is a great way to stay in shape, as it requires a lot of physical activity and helps improve cardiovascular health. Padel is also a social sport, and is a great way to meet new people and make new friends.
The sport can also help improve mental health, as it requires players to be focused and alert during matches. Padel is a sport that can be played by people of all ages and skill levels, and is a great way to have fun and stay active.
Future of the World Padel Tour
The World Padel Tour has been growing in popularity over the years, and is now one of the most important professional sports tours in the world. The sport is expected to continue to grow as kids are playing padel more frequently with junior tournaments taking place more often.
With the sport growing so quickly world wide, the World Padel Tour will continue to attract the best players and teams providing fans with some exciting match play and competitive tournaments.
In Closing
Padel is a sport that is rapidly gaining popularity all over the world, and the World Padel Tour is the most prestigious professional padel organization. The tour features top players and teams in the world, and offers fans exciting great entertainment. I highly recommend to watch a tournament should it make its way to your city and to give it a go one day. You will enjoy it 🙂