“Visibility and recognition” – the growing investment in women’s padel
The WTA Finals are underway, marking the end of the 2024/25 tennis season.
This year’s circuit has produced plenty of thrilling matches and stories, from young prodigy Victoria Mboko’s meteoric rise, to Coco Gauff’s domination on hard courts, and Aryna Sabalenka’s consistent, impressive form - writes Sports News Blitz’s Vanely Barumire.
The Riyadh Open also marks the second year of a three-year deal with the Saudi Tennis Federation to host the WTA Finals in the Middle East.
Commercially, it’s been a standout season for women’s tennis. The sport recorded a 24% increase in commercial revenue, while the global audience surpassed 1.1 billion.
Yet, behind this success lies decades of persistence and pushback in the fight for gender equality.
New sport, a new opportunity
Padel, a modern racquet sport born in the progressive 1960s, is hoping to avoid such a drawn-out battle.
Having only hosted professional tournaments in recent years, padel is investing in women’s participation and visibility from the outset.
Dhanielly Quevedo, head of sponsorships and partnerships for 6LoveSports, a female padel community in Miami, says:
“I think in any sport, we strive for equality when it comes to women’s sports. I’ve played professional tennis and then college tennis and the equality hasn't always been there.
“And so, with a new sport, we are trying to elevate both the men and women, as equal as it can be.”
Building from the grassroots
Quevedo recognises that investment in grassroots female padel remains crucial despite more men currently playing the sport:
“At the end of the day, right now there are still more men’s players playing in the USPA circuit as well as recreationally.
“And there are a lot of women as well. We think it is just as important for women to get that visibility and recognition as the men do because we’re putting in the work, investing in the sport and we want to help it be equal.”
Brands are stepping up
And brands are taking notice. Evelyn Partners, Britain’s leading wealth manager, recently announced a three-year partnership with Emperor Padel, a global community for female players.
Meanwhile, Soul Padel has launched its “Soul Sisters” initiative to encourage women’s participation.
Today, around 40% of professional padel players are women, and female participation has grown more than 30% compared to 2023 - a sign these investments are paying off.
READ MORE: Heineken become the global drinks partner for Premier Padel from 2026
Levelling the playing field
Beyond commercial gains, investment in women’s padel represents a crucial step toward gender equality in sport.
By prioritising equality from the start, padel has the opportunity to pave a new path, one where women don’t have to fight for decades for fair pay or grassroots support.
Padel is transforming the racquet sports industry - and women are leading the way.
READ NEXT: What Spain’s dominance in Padel says about football’s debate between culture and investment
