Caitlin Thompson

Wimbledon Court is the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s effort to give New Yorkers the chance to play on a rare surface in the city’s backyard. It’s also part of a larger effort to ensure the tournament delivers on its promise of “the pinnacle of sport” and broadens the tennis fanbase to the next generation.

The racquet-sports draw to this Balearic gem is no longer for rabid junior prospects only—now it’s the grown ups with a taste for design hotels, regional hospitality and a seamless itinerary of sport and wellness who are recalibrating the island’s racquet-sport vibe.

The hottest clubs around the world don’t feature EDM dance floors or after-hours speakeasies. They’re racquet-centric, they’re wellness-affiliated, and they’re taking advantage of the fastest-growing sport on the planet. Welcome to the global network of pàdel.

“To create one’s own world takes courage.” —Georgia O’Keefe

Inside the USTA’s quietly radical plan to rethink coaching

Padel has emerged as a more-approachable alternative to tennis, drawing in a vast customer base eager for a sport that eschews the traditional formality often associated with tennis clubs. This shift speaks to a broader opportunity in presenting a warm front door that’s wide open for newcomers; Tennis could stand to take note.