Meanwhile in the UK, padel is increasingly being considered a 'middle class sport' - with 'finance bros' heading to the courts after work. Mrs Chilvers suggested that padel courts should not be built in residential areas and said they should be put in the countryside. The three padel courts were built in 2020 around properties that sell well in excess of £1million in Winchester, Hampshire. 'The tennis club have been good neighbours and people need to realise if you move somewhere the tennis club you are going have that but it is when something is imposed on you it is vastly different.' Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic warned club tennis is 'endangered' by venues converting tennis courts into smaller padel or pickleball courts.

Source: Daily Mail December 27, 2025 22:45 UTC