It’s hard to miss the explosion in popularity of padel in recent months, especially across the Midlands – which is why the founders of one of the region’s newest ventures, PadelPlex, have set their sights on creating a central hub for excellence in the sport.
With The Global Padel Report 2026 reporting there are over 58,000 courts and 19.4 million+ players worldwide, padel has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity.
Last week, the padel world turned its attention to London as the first elite professional padel tournament came to the capital for the first time. With many Midlands sporting businesses travelling to experience London Premier Padel P1, including the founder of new East Midland’s based padel company PadelPlex, the event offered a timely moment to share what the region is doing to grow the game in the UK.
Co-founded by experienced hotelier Richard Johal and 200 Degrees founder Rob Darby, PadelPlex is set to open its flagship site in Nottingham later this year, followed by an additional Plex in Oakham, Rutland in early 2027.
Richard Johal said:
“This was a truly historic few days for British padel. Seeing the world’s best players competing in London was exciting enough, but watching so many British players sharing the same stage made it even more special. The atmosphere inside Olympia was electric throughout, especially during the finals, with home supporters creating an incredible buzz every time a British player stepped onto court. It felt like a genuine coming-of-age moment for the sport in this country.
“Padel has very quickly become a national sporting trend, but it is our focus to ensure that we’re implementing our vast hospitality experience to ensure we’re providing a unique, high-quality experience to all players.
“We’re joining the industry at a pivotal time of growth and investment. In the UK, the market is explosive with increased private and public investment, boasting an estimated 860,000 players and projections for this year heading towards 1,300+ courts. Now is the perfect time for us to be investing across the East Midlands, providing high-quality padel facilities as global padel stars arrive in the UK for what is being dubbed the Wimbledon of padel.
“The results which played out on the courts in Olympia, while important, almost feel secondary to the significance of the occasion. Having so many British players competing in the main draw of a Premier Padel P1 event in London sent a powerful message about how quickly the sport has developed in the UK. For young players watching from the stands, it has shown that reaching the highest level is no longer something that happens elsewhere in Europe – it can happen here at home.
“The event will undoubtedly inspire a new generation of players and reinforced the enormous momentum behind padel in Britain. It offers the chance to think about how PadelPlex can replicate the atmosphere of what we saw in London and bring brilliant sporting experiences back home to the Midlands. At PadelPlex, we’re building a welcoming community focused on engaging with all age groups, from children through to pensioners, to get playing. We believe that padel should be an experience, not just a form of exercise – offering accessible, fun and welcoming spaces for individuals of all abilities.”
Publicised by vocal supporters such as A-list sportsmen Andy Murray, David Beckham, and John Terry, the sport continues to experience a boom since its initial rise in popularity in the UK in 2019. Padel is one of the fastest growing sports worldwide, originating in 1969.
Held from 4-9 August 2026 at London’s Olympia event venue, London Premier Padel P1 is part of the elite Premier Padel Tour, bringing the world’s leading male and female players together to compete in the first elite professional padel tournament. The P1 level represents the pinnacle of international competition.
In the first few days of the competition Louie Harris, Chris Salisbury and Alfonso Patacho all embraced the opportunity to test themselves against world-class opposition, while Aimee Gibson and Catherine Rose represented the strength of the women’s game on one of the biggest stages the sport has to offer.
With a mission to bring the enjoyment of padel to a wider audience, from school children to pensioners, Richard works alongside co-founder Rob Darby, with over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry between them.
Posted on 11 August 2026
