A few weeks ago, a video went around the world. Without recognizing her, the influencer Ziv Tamir asked Antonela Roccuzzo What brand was your watch? Lionel Messi’s wife was surprised, but showed her model to the camera. And what he also showed was his very flirtatious sporty look and his inclusion in an increasingly large group: that of the women who play paddle tennis.
Like Antonela, many celebrities today choose this sport, including Mica Viciconte, Pamela David, Ximena Capristo, Marcela Kloosterboer and even Juliana Awada, the most chic on and off the court.
Make community
One of the most visible signs of the boom is the emergence of communities created by and for women. Like Seis Cero, who was born among a group of friends who started playing for fun and ended up finding a true passion. That first group grew to become a space where debutants and shy players find a friendly and content environment. “We find a community of women who, through paddle tennis, are rediscovering sport, self-care and recovering a meeting space in your social life“says Caru Manzella, founder along with María Marengo and Natalia Lagoa. For this reason, her main followers are women who are taking their first steps in the sport, who feel that “they are not ready” but who, with the right group, can be encouraged to play and compete.
Many come because the sport offers rapid advances and tangible improvement that excites. “Amateur paddle tennis has a special magic, because it allows you to start at any time in your life and see progress very quickly. It is an accessible, dynamic and social sport,” they illustrate. Seis Cero offers open courts, tournaments and tours to encourage you to compete and a community always available to play. That spirit finds its milestone this month with its big event of the year, the 6|0 Fest, a day with paddle tennis, a pool, music and a meeting between womenon November 29 at Benavidez Racket Club.
Back in 2022, Game Gana was also born by chance: after becoming a fan of this sport and playing so much that they already knew every last vice of their teammates, three friends gave life to their own tournament. “We stole a couple of wines from a husband’s wine cellar and improvised some prizes. And when we finished, they asked us when the next one was. It was a match that lit in two minutes,” says Josefina Arauz Castex, partner with Victoria White and Carolina Miguens.
Today they are known for organizing tournaments where competition is essential, but also the social aspect. In tune with his own “friend” spirit, They care about creating an atmosphere of play and relaxationwhere competition does not compete with being good companions. “Fair play and good vibes always prevail, because sport brings us together, but the most important thing is to have a good time,” emphasizes Arauz Castex. Another point to highlight? The schedules are compatible with the life of mothers, offering tournaments from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., to be able to arrive on time to pick up the kids from school.
Of formats and union
This growth is not only seen in the number of courts or in the groups of friends that are multiplying: new formats also appear that reveal how demand has changed.
Escalera Tournament is one of the ones that had the most impact on that reorganization. It was born within a Buenos Aires club when Mary Firpo and Mary Gándara were trying to put together a stable gaming group and discovered that there was no structure to accompany the female demand. They then proposed a continuous format, with live ranking and permanent rotation, which solved something that many were looking for without knowing it. Firpo explains it with a formula: “Competition + Growth + Community”.
The difference is in what happens on the field. In the Ladder Tournament each set is played with a different partnerwhich forces you to adapt quickly, but also generates an unexpected closeness. “The set they play together weighs much more in the personal connection than the two sets in which they are faced. They are no longer ‘two against two’, they are four sharing an experience,” says Firpo. The structure mixes levels and ages (there are participants from 18 to 70 years old) and explains why the community went from an improvised roster to a platform with more than 3,600 players. The fact that completes the table is that 70% of the organizers are women.
From the day-to-day life of the clubs, Benavidez Racket Club confirms the same trend. Here they mainly receive women between 30 and 50 years old and they see how the demand grows month by month. For them, the secret of attractiveness is in a mix of game and social climate: “Paddle tennis generates a lot of community, it is a small court and there is a lot of closeness. Women feel that they are playing sports and at the same time they are having fun and sharing a good time,” illustrates Ezequiel Churba, founder.
They also highlight the weight of the “third time” in the experience: “It is essential. For many it is their day with friends, so they make the most of it as possible,” they explain. They see it repeated week after week: groups that start with four and in a short time exceed 40 players, talks in the locker room, coffees after the game and a sociability that sustains loyalty more than any training plan.
Question of aesthetics
And being a feminine approach, the aesthetics could not go unnoticed. Today there is a recognizable look that mixes functionality, technique and a chic touch. Débora Chiodi, creator of Neo Bag, sees it every day in her brand: “Women look for everything. They want their bag to be cute, comfortable and to accompany them without giving up style.” Hers was a line of accessories designed for everyday life, but when she noticed how the sport was growing among her clients, she decided to bring that same DNA to the field. This is how the padel line was born: light, resistant and cared for in the details, from the materials to the design of the handles and pockets. “The bags are part of the outfit, not an addition. They say something about who you are, your energy and your style on and off the court,” he summarizes.
But aesthetics are also part of a way of inhabiting sport. Chiodi sees it in the dynamics of those who buy his products and how social media amplified belonging. “Paddle tennis became a meeting space for women, a ritual of well-being and fun.” That is why she works with ambassadors and projects that are born from genuineness, like Seis Cero. “We share the idea that this sport is much more than a game: it is a space where women are strengthened, inspired and accompanied,” she summarizes.
THE LOOK OF PADEL
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