The hottest clubs around the world don’t feature EDM dancefloors or after-hour 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.
Set against the backdrop of Glyfáda, a chic enclave on the Athenian Riviera, the emergence of pàdel is palpable. In a locale where sun-seekers can easily pop in for a visit to the Acropolis before dropping bags at the newest ACE hotel, and hang by the pool for a DJ set, all before hitting the beach, the courts beckon. This past June, I visited the TenTwenty Club—named after the dimensions of a pàdel court—where a byzantine maze of glassed-in courts sit next to gorgeous clay tennis courts and a yoga pavilion. All this surrounds a brutalist clubhouse, dotted with wildflowers and anchored by La Linda, a South American bakery known as much for smoothies and the lamination of its croissants as for wellness. Here, Isabella Aquilina and her husband Marc Missirian are translating their passion for hospitality and sports into a vibrant pàdel club that resonates with discerning visitors seeking both leisure and connection.