"Padel is a sport that sucks"

Last weekend, Yekaterinburg hosted an event that is important for the development of Padela in our country, a game that has already captivated tens of millions of people around the world. The country's first specialized stadium, the Padel Arena RMK, has opened here, which can accommodate 4,500 people and has all the most modern infrastructure for athletes and spectators. At the opening of the arena, the strongest players of the world ranking performed in front of Yekaterinburg residents, and the Padel Federation of Russia (FPR) held a stage of the Russian Padel Tour— an elite series of national tournaments. We talked about the rapid development of the game in our country with Alexey Sorokin, General Director of the FPR.

By the beginning of 2026, there will be more than 500 courts in Russia.

— The last time we spoke was in November 2024. Have many changes happened during this time?

— Very much. First of all, the federation is fully on its feet. Our geography has expanded, and Padel is now represented by local federations in 60 regions of Russia. We have received the accreditation of the Ministry of Sports. Secondly, following the results of the Russian Cup, we received the right to form a national team, which has already held a series of international bilateral meetings with the national teams of Serbia and Kazakhstan. Thirdly, the competition system has been fully developed to date. There are tournaments that are exclusively organized by the FPR, and there are a lot of competitions that are held under our auspices. In compliance with all regulatory requirements, with the accrual of rating points. This system is quite harmonious and is the result of a general consensus in the Padela community. The number of courts has increased…

— A year ago you said that there are about 200 of them all over the country.

— Now it is twice as many, and by the beginning of 2026 it will be more than 500. The sport is growing by all indicators, and not by percentages, but by several times, and we are very pleased to observe and participate in this. But most importantly, we are approaching integration into the global fold. Many of our athletes participate in international competitions, their international rating is growing, and there are stars among both men and women. It's no secret that the goal of any federation is to win prizes at the World Cup. This is the tip of the iceberg. It is clear that this is not the result that is worth waiting for tomorrow, but we are striving for it at a fairly fast pace.

— Is there a chance that the FPR will be recognized in FIP within two years?

— This is not recognition, but the inclusion of our federation in the FIP membership. We hope for an earlier decision — by the end of 2025. We are in constant dialogue with the international federation.

— How useful were the trips of the national team to Serbia and Kazakhstan?

— The guys looked at the style of play and the level of players in other countries. We have gained a lot of experience. Of course, it is good that the domestic Russian level is growing. The guys are still interested in playing inside the country. But any step beyond the limits gives a certain breadth of views.

— Is Ksenia Sharifova still the only top player?

— She is the only Russian who plays in Premier Padel tournaments. But there is also Angelina Neizvestnaya, who is in the top 150 of the rating. Nika Serviteleva and Alyona Vasilyeva are making great strides. Among the guys, I would single out Savely Tulupova, Eric Tomaidis, Denis Merkulov. These guys regularly take part in international competitions at various levels and are making rapid progress.

— By the way, will Sharifova come to the Moscow International tournament in October?

— She verbally confirmed her participation. The final composition can be judged when we summarize all the applications. We look forward to a decent representation. We are working systematically, we want to organize an interesting, vibrant, full-fledged tournament. Just like last year.

In general, I would like to note that athletes from several countries take part in each edition of the Russian Padel tour. We don't feel any irritation from this in the international community. This is extremely important. We must pay tribute to FIP — there are very few restrictions. And this distinguishes them favorably from other international federations, which are characterized by a stricter attitude towards Russian athletes. Even in the TV picture on local channels, the players are marked with the Russian flag. There is no insane strictness, and this is gratifying.

The advantage of this infrastructure is that it pays off.

— Are the prize money of the Russian padel tour comparable to FIP tournaments?

— FIP has a wide range of prize money, so I'll say this: we are in the market. It would be strange and wrong to immediately assign space money. All this should be developed in stages.

— We are at the RMK Padel Arena. Is this a breakthrough event for Padel in Russia?

— Yes, this is the only arena of its kind in the country. With fixed stands, with a stage. It is possible to hold competitions of any level, up to the largest starts in the FIP calendar. Good high-tech job. We are sure that in the very near future Yekaterinburg will become one of the main points of padel's growth in our country — with such attention to the sport from private business in the region, we have no doubt about this.

— Are there any plans to open similar arenas in other Russian cities?

— It's quite possible, but we haven't heard about them yet. There are a lot of clubs, many come to consult the federation on how to organize everything correctly. We try our best to respond to such requests. As I said above, the geography is expanding, but so far the capacity is still there. And a big one.

— Which regions are in the lead?

— In addition to Moscow, Yekaterinburg and St. Petersburg, these are Volgograd, Murmansk, Novosibirsk, Kazan. Clubs are currently being built in Vladivostok, Tyumen, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod. All major cities have either already built or will soon complete the construction of clubs.

As we have repeatedly stressed, the advantage of this infrastructure is that it pays for itself. Unlike many other sports.

— Does the cost of the courts remain at the level of 2-10 million rubles?

— The court itself from the Chinese manufacturer costs about 2 million. Slightly more expensive from Europe. Everything else is a construction site, and there are no limits to imagination. But, I repeat, self-sufficiency is very fast.

All the available clubs are packed to capacity. Especially on weekends, evenings and mornings. It is necessary to book well in advance or not have a choice (available time slots or waivers). Many people book time on a subscription basis for many weeks. So far, this is the seller's market, not the buyer's market. But the situation will change soon. It's good for a sport when you can play at any convenient time.

— Do you play often yourself?

— Three times a week. But I would not say that I am very happy with the progress. The lack of a tennis past is a hindrance, but they are rich in what.

— You recently held a team tournament. How would you rate his perspective?

— We tried a new format and received only positive feedback. It turned out to be even more fun and adventurous than we expected. We will continue. We haven't tried on any principle of team formation right now. In the future, we will think about a clear criterion — to assemble teams on a club basis or geographically. Or multiple formats in parallel. I think that every region will want to represent its team, and perhaps soon we will have a Russian team championship.

If Padel is represented at the 2032 Olympics, it will be a fair decision on the part of the IOC.

— Do top players from outside Spain and Argentina appear in the world pool?

— If we take the top 100 of the world ranking, then there will be a dominance of Spaniards and Argentines. But they are already being squeezed by Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil in Latin America. Italy, Sweden, and to some extent France, if we're talking about Europe. Japanese players are emerging from the Middle East region, where Padel is developing at an incredible pace. Geography is objectively expanding. This was one of the tasks of the international federation, and they are successfully coping.

Another important point: about 130 countries play and hold competitions in padel. That is, there are official competitions even in those countries that are not FIP members. This speaks positively about their policy and strategy. They are not closing in, but constantly expanding their horizons.

— And how many FIP members are there now?

— 87 countries. They crossed the threshold of 80 six months ago.

— Can we say now that Padel is closer to being included in the Olympic program in 2032?

— I think so. This was one of the priorities of the international federation. They have spent a lot of effort, and considering the intensity with which the players, including the pros, are multiplying, this will be a fair decision on the part of the IOC. Our national team will be preparing there.

— Is the younger generation showing promise?

— We pay a lot of attention to the junior program. We have a formalized relationship with one of the leading Spanish academies. We attract coaches from there to work with juniors. I am sure that our future champions are now 12-14 years old.

— How many celebrities started playing padel?

— Almost every day there are more and more new names. Bloggers, artists, famous athletes. We regularly see messages on social networks: I tried it, I liked it, I will train. The standard story. Padel is a sport that sucks. In a good way. It has narcotic magnetism.