Compared to many other European countries, padel started catching on relatively late in the UK. But today, the sport is gaining popularity at a staggering pace. The Lawn Tennis Association anticipates a player increase from 90,000 in 2023 to over 600,000 in 2026, while the number of courts is expected to rise from 350 to over 1,000 by 2026.

An important catalyst of this growth Is the UK Padel County Championships. The inaugural edition in November 2023 was the largest padel competition ever held in the UK, with over 170 competitors from 21 counties competing in men’s, women’s, and mixed events. In 2024, UK Padel added tournaments for players over 40, 50, and 60 to a second edition of its open event.

"We believe this series will help accelerate the growth of the sport", says Nick Baker, CEO at UK Padel. "By spreading the four events over the calendar year, we create a year-long cycle to build and engage a loyal fan and player base." The UK Padel County Championships 2024 series began in March at Rocket Padel in Bristol with the over 50’s event and will conclude with the open tournament at the same venue in November.

UK Padel decided to team up with Act Sports, Beaulieu International Group's sports brand, to encourage the popularity of the sport in the UK. "Our partnership with UK Padel fits our ambition to provide quality turf for clubs and tournaments all over the world, in order to help the fastest growing sport in the world grow even faster", explains Friso van den Berg, Sales Director at Act Sports. "In 2023 alone, we supplied 2,500 padel courts across Europe."

"We have a wide range of padel systems that boast high quality and playability, guaranteeing ultimate comfort for players of any level and age. That's why organizations such as UK Padel and Premier Padel - the highest level of our sport - rely on Act Sports padel turf. The other way around, we're happy to have the UK Padel County Championships as a platform to showcase our brand and what we stand for."