Paraguay gears up for a week of racquets and passion with the arrival of the Premier Padel Asunción P2, an event that firmly places Paraguay’s capital on the global padel map. From 19 to 25 May, the SND Arena will come alive with the presence of the sport’s top international stars, offering the country another chance to shine following the resounding success of earlier editions in 2023 and 2024.
What is padel?
To fully appreciate the spectacle about to unfold, it is worth understanding the basics of the sport that is drawing such attention. Padel, a dynamic racquet sport, pits two teams of two players against each other on an enclosed rectangular court. The game’s charm lies in its blend of tennis strategy and the element of using the surrounding walls.
Players take turns striking a specialised ball, allowing it to bounce once on their side before hitting it over the net, aiming to outmanoeuvre opponents. A key tactical element is the ability to play the ball off the walls after it has bounced on their own court, adding a layer of complexity to both attack and defence.
Premier Padel Asunción P2 returns
The National Secretariat of Sports (Secretaría Nacional de Deportes, SND) will once again serve as the heart of the action, building on its proven organisational capacity after welcoming over 21,500 spectators in 2024. That edition left a lasting impression on players and fans alike, with notable praise from stars such as Marta Ortega and Beatriz González, who highlighted both the warmth of the crowd and the quality of the facilities.
This year’s tournament boasts a prize pool of nearly US$300,000.
Padel: rising sport in Paraguay
This tournament is not an isolated occurrence but rather a reflection of Paraguay’s growing relevance in the international padel scene. While Argentina pioneered the sport in South America during the 1970s, Paraguay has rapidly emerged as a rising force, cultivating a passionate fanbase and investing in top-tier facilities. Local figures and early promoters like Juan Alberto Domínguez Ashwell laid the foundations, and today, that legacy is reflected in modern courts and an expanding wave of homegrown athletes.
Globally, padel, which was first played in Mexico in 1969 and later popularised in Argentina and Spain, has seen an unprecedented surge in the 21st century. Professional circuits such as the World Padel Tour and the increasingly prominent Premier Padel have elevated the sport’s competitive standards and international visibility. Asunción’s selection as host city for an event of this calibre confirms Paraguay’s status not just as a spectator of the sport’s rise, but as an active and essential contributor to its growth in the region.
Watch the action
Fans will not miss a moment of the action: Red Bull TV will broadcast all matches from the quarter-finals onwards, while earlier rounds will be available via Premier Padel’s official YouTube channel, bringing every thrilling point to global audiences.
Paraguay is poised for a landmark week, where padel will take centre stage and further cement the nation’s role as a strategic hub in the world of international padel.
