Padel is an offshoot of tennis that is fast growing in the U.S. and around the world. Globally with 25 million players, leaders are out to accelerate its expansion and attract more fans by bringing tennis legends on board at some of the new clubs. The latest legend to join a club as a strategic partner is Argentine Grand Slam champion Juan Martín del Potro, who recently joined Miami Padel Club

The Miami Padel, a new Pro Padel League (PPL) franchise, will be advised by del Potro in sports operations, marketing and recruiting in the formation of its squad, while helping the team identify talent and increase the visibility of Padel among partners, fans and the community.

Del Potro stated:

I am honored to join the Miami Padel Club at such an exciting time.

You should know: Juan Martín del Potro

As one of the few Latinos to enter the top 10 of the ATP world rankings, del Potro achieved glory in 2009 when he defeated Roger Federer in the final of the U.S. Open.

He won his first Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour title in 2018 in Stuttgart, Germany, and went on to score three more victories for a total of 22 tour titles.

During the 2018 season, at the BNP Paribas Open, he reached number three in the ATP Tour Rankings, the highest of his career. He also made waves at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where he won bronze and silver medals, respectively.

“I am extremely pleased to welcome Juan Martin on board at the Miami Padel Club. His vast experience as a world-class, winning athlete and his knowledge and passion for the sport will be essential to reach our goal of raising awareness and understanding about Padel. He is a natural fit for our team as we continue working with key stakeholders to build an entertaining and competitive Club,” said Ronnie Strasser, Miami Padel Club owner.

Get to know: Miami Padel Club

It is one of seven existing franchises in the Pro Padel League, which includes players like Marta Marrero, former world number one and WTA top 40 player; Rubén Rivera, José Grizpe, Simon Charaf Jones, Mateo Coles, Paloma Cortina, Brittney Dubins, and María Fernanda Espinosa.

In time for the new season, the club also recently announced an innovative sponsorship with Greenbriar Capital Corp, a leading developer of sustainable real estate and renewable energy and the first public ESG company to sponsor a franchise in the Pro Padel League.

The PPL's inaugural season will begin in Tampa on May 13 and conclude with the PPL CUP on June 10 and 11 to determine the league champion. Each team will consist of two male and two female players and follow the international padel scoring format.

“We share a strong passion for the sport, and this is a tremendous opportunity to drive growth in a vibrant, diverse community such as Miami by bringing more players and fans closer to the game. Miami is the epicenter of Padel as there is a strong foundation for the game and is a market with a unique opportunity to grow a team and a culture of fandom that rivals other teams in the league,” added del Potro.

Marcos Del Pilar, PPL Commissioner, added: “The PPL is rapidly expanding and we are building an exciting platform that is developing Padel in North America with our first season of competition starting in May. With Juan Martin advising the Miami Padel Club, he is not only an asset for the franchise, but will provide worldwide exposure for the League and further enable us to grow the sport and our community of fans around the world.”