Weekly News Roundup: PPL Milestone, Celebs, & a GOAT List
Catch up on this week’s biggest moments!
This week in Padel Mecca, the sport is taking huge strides with a $10 million investment in North America, while celebrities from F1, MotoGP, and music continue to fuel padel’s growing fame. We also celebrate the legends who’ve shaped the game and see how the sport’s elite are still pushing boundaries. Let’s jump in!
Pro Padel League Secures $10M to Fuel U.S. Expansion
Big news for the sport in North America: the Pro Padel League (PPL) just raised $10 million in seed funding from Left Lane Capital, Kactus Capital, Gary Vaynerchuk, and other high-profile investors. The funding will help PPL professionalize its operations — including hiring key executives and establishing a permanent HQ — as it pushes to stand alongside other major U.S. sports leagues. With clubs in key markets from Miami to Toronto and stars like Ariana Sanchez Fallada and Agustin Tapia headlining, the league's momentum is real.
- Read more on Forbes
MotoGP Stars & a World Cup Winner Team Up for Padel Clash in Qatar
What do MotoGP riders and a FIFA World Cup champ have in common? A love for padel, apparently. Ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, Spain’s Javi Martinez (2010 World Cup winner) joined a group of top MotoGP racers for a friendly but fiery padel match.
The video has been making the rounds — and it’s another reminder that padel isn’t just growing, it’s pulling in elite athletes from all corners of sport.
- Read more on Moto GP
The GOATs of Padel: A Look at the Game’s Greatest Players
Red Bull took a deeper dive this week into the legends of padel — the players who defined the game and continue to elevate it today.
From Spanish and Argentine icons to modern-day titans on the Premier Padel circuit, the list is a must-read (and must-watch). With 25 global tournaments and full quarterfinal coverage on Red Bull TV, there’s never been a better time to appreciate the sport’s elite.
- Read more on Red Bull
Adam Levine: “Padel Is Like Pickleball, But Cooler”
Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine is officially on the Padel train — and we’ve got Michael Bublé to thank. On The Tonight Show, Levine told Jimmy Fallon that Bublé introduced him to the sport while vacationing in Mexico, calling it “super fun” and describing it as “like pickleball, but a little cooler.”With more celebrities joining in and name-dropping the sport on national TV, padel’s pop culture moment is only picking up steam.
- Read more on NBC
Verstappen & Tsunoda Bond Over Padel in Bahrain
Formula 1 meets Padel once again — this time in Bahrain, where Max Verstappen and new Red Bull Racing teammate Yuki Tsunoda hit the court ahead of race weekend.
Verstappen recently played with former teammate Daniel Ricciardo in Melbourne, and he’s not the only one — fellow drivers like Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, and Pierre Gasly are also regulars with a racket. The crossover between motorsport and padel just keeps growing.
- Read more on GP Blog
Video of the Week
Check out these highlights from Day 3 of the Santiago Premier Padel P1! (MEN)
This week, Padel took a huge step forward — with a massive $10 million boost and stars from across the sports and entertainment worlds putting their mark on the game. From athletes like Verstappen hitting the courts to Adam Levine catching the Padel bug, the sport’s buzz is growing louder daily. It’s clear: this isn’t just a trend; it’s becoming a global movement.
See you next week!
🔥 What’s your take on Padel’s influence?