Buenas, fellow padel addicts!
Premier Padel just got one-upped, and it’s happening in Miami. Elsewhere, Rolex makes its padel debut by backing world No. 1 Arturo Coello. Meanwhile, the 🇺🇸 padel arms race keeps escalating, with one facility planning FIFTEEN courts.
And if you’ve ever felt like you get lobbed way more than everyone else at the net, we break down exactly how elite players quietly make that problem disappear.
In This Issue:
— Why Rolex betting on Coello matters more than you think
— Denver & Orlando go big
— How to curb getting picked off at the net
— Padel’s biggest prize-money event ever hits Miami this upcoming weekend
— Plus: VC money, celebrity investors, and… cave padel?
Take it to the glass. Seguimos!
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🇺🇸 CLUB OPENINGS
From Denver & Orlando, With Love
🏔️ Mile-High Goes Indoor/Outdoor
Miami-based Ace Padel is planting its flag in Denver’s RiNo Arts District with a design-forward, social-first club slated for Q3 2026. The 26,000-sq-ft space will feature 5 indoor courts with 30-foot ceilings, 3 outdoor courts by the Platte River, plus saunas, cold plunges, lounges, and a bar.
🐊 Orlando Teases Padel Power Move
Orlando’s tourism department just released a lineup of new experiences for 2026, hinting at a padel + pickleball complex dubbed Society Park. Opening in April, the venue will feature a spa, two restaurants, and a whopping 15 padel courts!
UP YOUR GAME
Stop Getting Picked Off at the Net
You and your partner finally claw your way to the net. You’re feeling dominant. You’re feeling aggressive. You’re feeling like this is your point.
Then, you get lobbed… again. And you start to wonder why it seems to happen to you more often than to other players.
Here’s how elite players quietly minimize getting lobbed:
Net positioning is critical. If you drift too far or crowd the wrong space, you open passing lanes and invite lobs. Elite players adjust constantly to keep coverage tight and angles closed.
Ball near your sidewall? Step slightly forward to cut angles.
Ball down central? Shift to the middle to cover passing lanes.
Ball near the opposite side? Move laterally to prevent a clean lob.
Stop feeding the middle. Volleys aimed toward the sidewall (especially near the cage) are harder to lift cleanly. Middle balls are a lob invitation.
Short volleys are your friend. Short volleys (in front of the service line) die down after the wall, while deep volleys come up. If you keep playing low volleys deep, you’re basically teeing up your opponents.
Grip pressure matters more than you think. Fast ball coming at you? Tighten the grip and block it. Slow ball? Relax your hands and add slice. Trying to muscle slow balls is how errors happen.
Feet >>> Corners. Look before you volley. If your opponent is leaning, exposed, or late, play the ball at their feet. It’s less sexy than toward the corners, but it sure as hell wins points.
INTERNATIONAL HAPPENINGS
Rolex Enters Padel, Taps World No. 1 Arturo Coello (🇨🇭)
Rolex just entered padel by sponsoring world No. 1 Arturo Coello, marking the brand’s first direct bet on the sport + its most dominant active player.
The Details:
Rolex joins an extremely small group of sports it considers “institution-grade,” alongside tennis, golf, sailing, and motorsport
Coello becomes the first active padel player backed by Rolex, joining a brand roster that includes Roger Federer, Carlos Alcaraz, and Tiger Woods
Luxury watches have appeared in padel before. Richard Mille had a lifestyle/ambassador relationship with Fernando Belasteguín in the 2010s… but this is the first forward-looking sponsorship of a dominant, still-ascending No. 1
The deal follows other major brand moves into padel, including On Running also partnering with Coello (covered last week) and Red Bull reshaping the sport’s media presence
Our take: The timing and intent is unique here. Rolex historically waits until a sport looks structurally permanent before committing, and it almost never backs athletes this early in their narrative arc. By tapping Coello now, Rolex is signaling confidence in its future cash flows, audiences, and staying power.
PRO PADEL ROUNDUP
Miami Is Kicking Off 2026 Padel In Style (🇺🇸)
The Reserve Cup Series is back for 2026, kicking off January 22-24 in Miami with a glitzy, high-stakes (money-wise), multi-city padel spectacle that blends elite players and celebrity energy.
The Details:
Reserve Padel officially launches the 2026 Reserve Cup Series in Miami, returning to the Reserve Miami Seaplane Base before expanding to additional global cities later in the year
Big-time basketballer Jimmy Butler will serve as the Honorary President
Features what’s expected to be the largest prize purse in padel history (likely ~$1.7M), compared to ~$650K at the Premier Padel Finals
Top global men’s players Agustín Tapia, Arturo Coello, Ale Galán, Federico Chingotto, Franco Stupaczuk, and Mike Yanguas (among many more) are confirmed to play
If you’re feeling spontaneous, last-minute tickets are available here
Our take: While this is not a FIP or Premier Padel ranking-points event (thus no impact on official standings), saying it “doesn’t matter” would miss the point. There’s massive prize money, global exposure, sponsor pull, and cultural cachet all at stake. For players, it’s about cash and brand. For fans, it’s about seeing the sport presented at its most polished.
Quick Hits:
Jimmy Fallon is doing the Lord’s work
Prominent 🇺🇸 clubs get big-time investments:
The Australian Open’s VC arm, AO Ventures, invests in Padel Haus via its $40M fund
Former World No. 1 shares six top racket picks tailored for every player, from beginners to seasoned competitors
Cool Court of the Week:
📍 Stockholm, 🇸🇪
More info here!
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See you next week & keep smashing those volleys 🎾