He introduced padel in Australia — now he wants to build the first court in New Zealand

First, he took padel to Australia. The founder of Padel in One, Pere Valdivieso, now wants to take the sport to New Zealand and open the first club in the country. 
— The idea is to open the first one, at least to have a showroom as we did in Australia, he says in an interview with Padel Alto. 

Five years ago, Barcelona-based Pere Valdivieso took a huge step and opened the first-ever padel court on Australian soil.

A completely unknown sport would be introduced in the tennis crazy country ”Down under”. Two months ago, the 346,468 visitors to the Australian Open were able to try out the new sport outside Rod Laver Arena. The stadium where Rafael Nadal won the final against Danil Medvedev. 

— 90 percent of the people who tried it wanted to play again. The problem is that we only have six clubs right now in the whole country. It’s not enough to cover all the players, the owner and founder of Padel in One, says to Padel Alto. 

”Good weather, social sport and barbecue after”

In five years, he has built up five clubs in the country with six clubs in total. But that's a number that will be history very soon. This year, he aims to build ten more clubs in Australia, and he wants to bring in more actors to help the sport grow in the country. 

— We need more people and actors to be involved in Australia, not only my company, he says. 

One thing Pere Valdivieso himself is sure will happen. 

He continues: 

— At the end of the year, it will be 25 padel clubs in Australia, at least. It´s the perfect country for padel. Good weather, people love racket sports, and it’s a very social sport where you can have a barbecue after. 

It takes time to build a brand new sport in a new country. That's something Pere Valdivieso knows. At the moment, the Padel Federation works under the big Tennis Federation. 

He believes Australia can become a great padel nation in the long run, but it will take time. 

— The last five years, we have built six clubs. It’s nothing. But If more people open more clubs, I think it will go fast. We have a big opportunity with the Tennis Federation. We are the little brother. I think it’s going to be the biggest padel market in Asia-Pacific in the upcoming five years, he says. 

”First court ever in New Zealand”

But it's not just in Australia that Pere Valdivieso and his company, Padel in One, want to start up new clubs. He's also aiming to repeat the feat he did five years ago, this time in New Zealand. 

— The idea is to open the first one in May or June, at least to have a showroom as we did first in Australia. People can come and try there, to get to know the sport and then after a while to open a club.

With a club in Barcelona currently expanding from one court to six, he is also looking at new markets in Europe. He mentions Germany as an interesting market.  

— It´s a great market in Germany for the future. It hasn't taken off there as it has in the Nordic countries, but there is a huge potential. 

”One in California, and the other one in New York” 

But where he's looking most at the moment is the US. 

— We have some investors in the US who want to do the same as we did in Australia. It’s a great opportunity and we have the knowledge, he says. 

Nothing is quite clear about the construction in the US yet. But plans are well underway and he is aiming to open clubs already in the middle of the year. 

— We are looking at two options: one in California, and the other one in New York. I think the US can be one of the biggest markets in the future, Pere Valdivieso says. 

In Australia, the target is a total of 25 clubs after this year. Anything less is a failure, according to Padel in One's owner.

In the coming period, the Australian Padel Open will be launched, a domestic padel tournament. In addition, regions around the country will face each other. 

— Yes, now we have to promote the sport to get new players and create competitions all around Australia. 

Padel Alto: Can visitors in Melbourne and the Australian Open see padel outside Rod Laver Arena next year too?

— For sure. Every year we are going to have a promotion there. It´s a lot of possibilities with the Australian Open tournament. The Tennis Federation loves the idea and we are going to do it even better next year.