Triay Takes the IPPA Throne, Padel Becomes a €6 Billion Industry
Gemma Triay is now the most powerful woman in padel — and not just because of her ranking.
The world number one took over as provisional president of the International Padel Players Association (IPPA) this week after Lucía Sainz resigned on May 19. The IPPA board accepted the resignation and thanked Sainz for her work strengthening women's padel. Triay stepped in immediately.
Think about what this means. The best female player on the planet now speaks for every female player in the sport. She competes against the people she represents. She negotiates with the tours she dominates. It's rare in any sport for an active number one to also lead the union — the closest comparison is Djokovic creating the PTPA in tennis.
Triay's timing is interesting. Prize money equity in padel still lags. Tour conditions, calendar input, player welfare — these are all live issues. With both on-court dominance and off-court authority, she has the platform to push for change in ways no one else can.
The question is whether she can balance competition and governance. The Italy Major starts next Saturday. Triay will be competing for a title at the Foro Italico while also carrying the weight of every player's expectations off the court.
Meanwhile, the business side of padel had its own headline week. The Padel World Summit opens tomorrow in Barcelona, and the numbers are staggering. The Global Padel Report 2025 (Playtomic with PwC) values the padel industry at around €2 billion. The projection? €6 billion by end of 2026. Over 6,000 professionals and 140 companies will gather at Fira de Barcelona for three days of deals, startups, and strategy.
From player governance to billion-euro projections, this was the week padel proved it's no longer just a sport. It's an industry.
Source: Marca — Triay asume la presidencia, Economia Digital — Padel World Summit 2026, El Periódico — PWS auge global
Quick Hits
-
UK padel passes 1 million players — The LTA's 2025 Annual Report shows participation doubled to 860,000, with courts reaching 1,500+. It's since passed 1 million in early 2026. In 2019, the UK had 68 courts and 15,000 players. Seven years later: 1,500 courts, 1 million players. That's not growth — that's an explosion. (LTA Annual Report)
-
Belasteguín announces first Argentine club — $5M investment — The GOAT of padel is bringing Bela Padel Center to Canning, Buenos Aires. Opening May 2027, developed with Pride Developer. It will be the third Bela Padel Center globally. Forbes Argentina covered it. The greatest player investing $5M in his home country, right after Buenos Aires broke the world attendance record? Perfect timing. (Forbes Argentina)
-
Dominic Thiem invests in Austrian padel brand "Smash" — The former tennis world number three backs a startup targeting 200 courts across Austria by 2027. First court just opened in Bruck an der Leitha. The German-speaking market has 100 million people, high disposable income, and almost zero padel saturation. Thiem might have spotted the biggest untapped market in European padel. (Brutkasten)
-
Slazenger Padel plans 150 courts across 10 new UK clubs — A flagship 10-court venue is coming to Braehead, Glasgow (30,000 sq ft). Slazenger's 2026 plan: 10 clubs, 150 courts. Between Slazenger, Vida Del Padel, and Padel Social Club, the UK court shortage might finally start to ease. (A1 Retail)
-
Galán calls Chingotto "the best partner I've ever had" — Fresh from their fifth title of 2026, Galán publicly chose Chingotto over former partner Juan Lebrón in interviews with COPE, Marca, and Mundo Deportivo. The ranking gap to number one is now just 2,360 points. The Race lead is 790 points in their favor. This pair isn't temporary — it's a legacy project. (COPE)
Weekend Results
No Premier Padel tournament this week. Off-week between the Buenos Aires P1 (May 10-18) and the BNL Italy Major (May 31 – June 7).
Current Race Standings (Men): Galán/Chingotto 4,670 pts | Coello/Tapia 3,880 pts Current Rankings (Men): Coello/Tapia 21,180 pts | Galán/Chingotto 18,820 pts Current Race & Rankings (Women): Josemaría/González lead the Race; Brea/Triay hold #1 overall
Coming Up Next
BNL Italy Major — Foro Italico, Rome — May 31 to June 7
The season's first Major since the opener. Bigger draw, more points, more pressure.
The men's entry list is absurd: 49 of the top 50 are in (only Pablo Cardona is injured). Over 20 new pairings will debut after a wave of splits — Paquito Navarro and Fran Guerrero split, Momo González and Martín Di Nenno split. The draw will be chaos.
The real storyline: can Chingotto and Galán take the number one ranking? At 2,360 points behind with Major points on the table, one title could flip it. For Coello and Tapia, this is the last stand before the narrative becomes permanent.
On the women's side, all 50 of the top 50 are entered. Josemaría and González go for title number six in a row. Brea and Triay go for redemption — again.
Broadcast: Premier Padel TV, Red Bull TV, YouTube (early rounds).
Never miss an edition
Join 500+ padel players getting weekly news.
Did You Know?
Padel's first international governing body, the International Padel Federation (FIP), was founded in 1991 with just three member nations: Argentina, Spain, and Uruguay. Today, it has over 70 member countries across six continents. The sport went from three countries to global in just 35 years.
Player Spotlight
Fran Guerrero
Fran Guerrero 🇪🇸 | Age: 22 | Ranking: #12 | Position: Right side
One of the most talented young players on tour, the Málaga native just split from Paquito Navarro and reunites with Javi Leal for the Italy Major. Known for explosive attacking play and incredible reflexes at the net, he's the kind of player who can win a point from anywhere. At 22, he's already reached QFs at virtually every P1 this season. Off the court, he's one of the most active pros on social media, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at tour life. With Leal beside him and a Major ahead, Rome could be where Guerrero breaks through.
Hot Take
Triay leading the IPPA while ranked number one should terrify every tour organizer who's been slow on prize money equity.
In tennis, Djokovic built the PTPA from scratch and still met resistance from every direction. Triay doesn't need to build anything — she inherited a functioning association and holds the top ranking. That's on-court dominance AND union authority in one person. If she pushes for equal prize money, better tour conditions, or more player input on the calendar, she has the credibility to make it stick. No one can dismiss her as a disgruntled outsider. She wins finals and now she signs letters.
The real question: will she use that power? Or will the dual demands of competing and governing dilute both? Hit reply with your take.
Number of the Week
1,000,000
Padel players in the UK — doubled from 2024 to 2025 and still climbing
Never miss an edition
Join 500+ padel players getting weekly news.