Author: Atte Suominen, Founder & CEO at PADEL1969
When a top-20 tennis star like Frances Tiafoe decides to invest in padel, it sends a powerful signal. Not only about his personal belief in the sport, but about where racket sports are headed in the United States and beyond.
Tiafoe was announced as a new investor and strategic advisor in the Pro Padel League’s New York Atlantics franchise, joining a funding round that values the team at more than $10 million. His entry, alongside other professional athletes, is not just a financial move – it is a milestone moment for the sport of padel in North America.
Frances Tiafoe: From Humble Beginnings to Tennis Stardom
Frances Tiafoe’s personal story is as inspiring as his tennis career. Born in 1998 in Maryland to immigrant parents from Sierra Leone, Tiafoe and his twin brother grew up around the sport of tennis in an unusual way. His father worked as a custodian at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland, and the family even lived in a small room at the facility for a time.
From those humble beginnings, Tiafoe developed into one of the most talented players of his generation. Known for his athleticism, creativity on court, and infectious charisma, he broke into the top ranks of men’s tennis while still in his early twenties.
Highlights of his career include:
- Achieving a career-high ATP ranking inside the world’s top 10.
- Reaching the semifinals of the U.S. Open in 2022 and 2024.
- Winning multiple ATP Tour titles.
- Representing the United States in the Davis Cup and Laver Cup.
Today, at 27 years old, Tiafoe is ranked No. 17 in the world and recognized as one of the sport’s most marketable American players. His background, work ethic, and success make him a role model well beyond tennis—and now, a pioneering figure in padel investment.
A Tennis Star Crossing Over
Tiafoe first picked up a padel racket earlier this year in Madrid. Like many tennis players before him, he quickly discovered that padel is not just an “easy cousin” of tennis—it demands its own tactics, movements, and skillset. His first-hand experience of being “horrendous compared to the pros” only deepened his appreciation for the game.
By committing his own money—rather than accepting equity as a promotional gesture—Tiafoe demonstrates real belief in the long-term growth of padel. For a player at the peak of his tennis career, this is both bold and significant.
The Pro Padel League’s Growing Ambitions
The Pro Padel League (PPL), founded just two years ago, has positioned itself as the entry point for professional padel in North America. With franchises now spanning the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and partnerships with Adidas and Bullpadel, the PPL has momentum. Yet, it remains in an early stage – securing media deals, building fan culture, and differentiating itself from the explosive growth of pickleball. Earlier this year 2025 PPL secured USD 10million seed-round – read more here to fuel expansion of Padel in the USA.
The comparison is unavoidable. Pickleball has nearly 20 million U.S. players today, while padel remains a small but fast-growing niche with just over 100,000 players in America. However, the dynamics differ: pickleball thrives on accessibility and simplicity, whereas padel thrives on spectacle, athleticism, and its proven appeal in Europe and Latin America.
Why Tiafoe Matters
The biggest challenge for padel in the U.S. is not whether courts will be built – 352 were added in 2024 alone – but whether a cultural following will develop. Fans need heroes, stories, and aspirational figures. This is where Tiafoe’s involvement matters.
As the first active ATP Tour player to invest in a PPL franchise, he gives padel immediate visibility among tennis fans and mainstream sports audiences. With his one million social media followers, he can introduce padel to an entirely new demographic. And crucially, his credibility as a top athlete brings legitimacy to the sport in the eyes of investors and sponsors.
Other Athletes Betting on Padel
Tiafoe is not alone in recognizing padel’s potential. Around the world, several high-profile athletes have already made strategic moves into the sport:
- Zinedine Zidane: The French football legend has made padel a core feature of his Z5 sports complexes across France. By adding courts and supporting events, Zidane has become one of the most visible ambassadors for padel in his home country. His investments show how padel is now central to the European sports lifestyle.
- David Beckham: The global football icon has been linked to padel ventures in the UK and has helped promote the sport through his club networks.
- Rafael Nadal: Through his Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Nadal has integrated padel into his world-class training facility, giving thousands of juniors and adults exposure to the sport.
- Zlatan Ibrahimović: The Swedish football star has invested in padel centers across Sweden, contributing to the country’s rapid adoption of the sport.
- Gerard Piqué: The former FC Barcelona defender has also been active in padel through event promotion and commercial ventures.
These moves highlight a trend: padel is increasingly seen as a credible investment and lifestyle sport for elite athletes.
By contrast, many American athletes have put money into pickleball franchises, with names like LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Kevin Durant investing in Major League Pickleball. That speaks to pickleball’s massive participation base in the U.S. today but instead padel offers something different: global scale, higher athletic intensity, and proven success in fan-driven markets like Spain, Italy, France, Argentina, and Sweden. Over the years since early 2010s plenty of investors have went into Padel and big time. Triton VC fund has invested over EUR 330 million in Padel but later has not succeeded in their too rapid growth investments in Padel. Learn who are investing in Padel from this article, read here.
Tiafoe’s move positions him alongside global icons like Zidane and Nadal, but also as a pioneer among American athletes betting on padel’s rise.
Risks and Rewards Ahead
Of course, there are risks. Sports history is full of leagues that launched with big ambitions but collapsed under the weight of high costs and low fan engagement. The U.S. market is highly competitive, and pickleball’s head start cannot be ignored.
Yet the fundamentals of padel are strong. With more than 30 million global players, record-breaking tournament attendances in Europe and Latin America, and the prospect of Olympic inclusion, the sport is moving in the right direction. For investors, the appeal lies in catching the wave early – before valuations climb to levels already seen in pickleball.
A Symbol of What’s to Come
For Tiafoe personally, investing in a padel franchise is both business and passion. His journey from growing up in modest circumstances at a tennis center in Maryland to owning a stake in a professional sports team is a story that resonates deeply.
For the padel industry, his decision is symbolic. It shows that elite athletes outside the padel world now see the sport as a credible investment opportunity and a cultural force with growth potential.
At PADEL1969, we believe that padel in the U.S. is still at the beginning of its journey. The addition of figures like Frances Tiafoe accelerates this journey—helping transform padel from a curiosity into a mainstream sport. His bet is not just on a franchise in New York, but on the future of padel itself.
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About Atte Suominen
Atte Suominen is the Founder & CEO of PADEL1969, a global advisory and products company helping investors and clubs build sustainable, benchmark padel facilities worldwide. With years of experience in international business, Atte is dedicated to advancing padel’s global growth through innovation, strategy, and premium quality solutions.
About PADEL1969
PADEL1969 is a leading company in the padel industry, offering premium courts, advisory services, and products for clubs and private investors. With projects across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and beyond, PADEL1969 combines deep expertise with a mission to make padel a sustainable, global sport for future generations.
About Frances Tiafoe
Frances Tiafoe is an American professional tennis player ranked inside the ATP top 20 and a two-time U.S. Open semifinalist. Born in Maryland to Sierra Leonean parents, he rose from humble beginnings at a local tennis center to become one of the most charismatic and successful American players of his generation. In 2025, he became the first active ATP Tour player to invest in a Pro Padel League franchise, signaling his belief in padel’s potential in the U.S. market.
