In the early 1990s, when Padel was still finding its footing in Spain, a young tennis player’s mother made a suggestion that would change her daughter’s life: “Why don’t you try Padel?” Little did Elena Martín know that this casual recommendation would lead her to become not only a sponsored athlete but also one of the sport’s most influential business minds.
Elena’s story begins with what she modestly describes as being “OK” at tennis. But when she stepped onto a Padel court at age 15, something clicked.
In her first major tournament—the Spanish Under-16 Championships—she reached the semifinals. “I was made for this,” she recalls thinking, though she’s quick to add that the relatively low competition levels at the time might have helped her rapid ascent.
What followed was a period that perfectly captures the early days of professional Padel. Elena would compete in the Opel Padel Tour (the predecessor to the World Padel Tour) alongside both professionals and amateurs. Picture this: university students and working professionals sharing the court with full-time athletes, all vying for victory in what would become one of the world’s fastest-growing sports.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Elena’s story is a promotional card from her Dunlop sponsorship days. When asked to name her favorite shot for the card’s back, she proudly declared “the lob”—much to her friends’ bewilderment. “How can you be proud of that?” they asked. But Elena knew something they didn’t: sometimes the most effective shots aren’t the most spectacular ones.
Today, Elena describes herself as an “ant or squirrel” on the court—a fascinating choice that speaks to her playing style. She’s known for being a defensive player who can return seemingly impossible shots, much to her opponents’ frustration. “How did you get that?” is a common refrain from across the net.
But it’s not all serious competition. During one tournament final, as spectators were filing into their seats, Elena managed to break the court’s net while simply retrieving a ball during warmup. The 15-minute delay that followed felt like an eternity, and she vowed never to cross over the net again—a story that still makes her laugh today.
What makes Elena’s journey particularly unique is how it intersects with her professional life at Monitor Deloitte. In an unexpected twist, her Padel expertise helped bridge the gap between the corporate world and this burgeoning sport. When Playtomic, a leading Padel court booking platform, needed authoritative industry data, they turned to Deloitte. Elena’s background made her the perfect person to spearhead what would become influential industry reports.
The project began as a way to make consulting work appear more appealing to potential recruits in a post-pandemic world where startups were drawing top talent. However, it evolved into something much more significant. “The commercial part and being in touch with institutions and helping with business was a consequence,” Elena reveals. “It was so surprising to me, though it seems obvious now in hindsight.”
Elena’s insights into the sport’s growth are particularly valuable. She points to fascinating metrics like the “penetration rate” of Padel in different countries, which depends on factors such as existing racket sports culture, economic conditions, and land availability. Her analysis of Sweden’s explosive growth and subsequent stabilization offers valuable lessons for other emerging Padel markets.
As for the future of the sport, Elena sees an interesting dynamic playing out in tennis clubs. In the space required for two tennis players, a Padel court can accommodate up to twelve players. This efficiency, combined with Padel’s accessibility to newcomers, is changing the landscape of racket sports. As Elena notes, “Table tennis is easier than Padel, Padel is easier than tennis”—a simple observation with profound implications for the sport’s growth.
Want to hear more about Elena’s journey from sponsored athlete to corporate strategist, including her thoughts on working with today’s top players and her predictions for the sport’s future? The full episode awaits.
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