England has lost almost ۲۰۰ tennis courts in three years as padel facilities have grown nearly sixfold.
Guardian analysis of Sport England data found that the country has lost ۱۸۳ tennis courts since ۲۰۲۳ – the first such decline since at least ۲۰۰۰. The data includes local authority and community-owned courts, privately run health facilities, schools and sports clubs.
The number of padel courts, meanwhile, has risen exponentially. There are now more than ۲,۲۰۰, up from ۳۸۲ in ۲۰۲۳. Research from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) found that a million people were playing padel as of May this year, up from ۸۶۰,۰۰۰ at the end of ۲۰۲۵.
The rise in padel – played on courts about three-quarters the size of tennis ones – is partly down to its accessibility. It blends tennis-style rules and scoring with squash-inspired features, including the use of a back wall, and is considered easier to learn thanks to the smaller courts and underarm serves.
Bee Armstrong, a project manager in London, took up padel in ۲۰۲۳ after suffering a back injury while playing hockey. “Padel is a bit easier on the body,” she said. “It’s really growing now so more people are getting into it.
“It’s a really great way to meet people, and now with more courts it’s become easier to meet friends after work for a game. It’s easier to have a good game even as a first timer, compared to tennis which needs a bit more practice.”
The figures show there has been some direct replacement of tennis with padel. A net ۷۷ tennis courts have closed at venues that have opened padel facilities since ۲۰۲۳.
But the decline in tennis facilities doesn’t mean game, set and match. The loss in tennis courts makes up less than ۱% of the total, bringing numbers back to ۲۰۱۸ levels.
Padel’s popularity is undeniably increasing, but the number of tennis courts still exceeds padel courts by a factor of ۱۱ to one.
A spokesperson for the LTA, the official governing body of tennis and padel, said participation in the former had hit record levels in recent years.
They attributed this to a scheme that had refurbished more than ۳,۰۰۰ park tennis courts and the work of the LTA’s youth programme.
They said: “The change since the start of ۲۰۲۴ in Sport England’s data on tennis courts in England amounts to ۰.۷% of all tennis courts, and of courts which have been replaced by padel courts – only ۰.۳%.
“Our data and insight shows the majority of courts displaced were either underutilised or in poor or unplayable condition, and introducing padel courts has helped diversify venue offerings and engage new players from local communities, helping to sustain both tennis and padel court provision at these venues for the future.
“In order to help bring padel courts into even more diverse communities, as well as ensuring more year-round usage of community tennis courts, the LTA is working with the UK government to secure investment into community tennis, padel and multi-sport hubs.”
The Sport England figures show the recent padel boom has been strongest in the north. Thirty-nine courts have been built in Sheffield since ۲۰۲۳, ۳۸ in North Yorkshire and ۳۶ in Leeds and in Cheshire East.
Despite its middle-class reputation – and often expensive prices of up to £۱۰۰ an hour at some venues – padel courts are actually spread out fairly evenly across deprived and affluent neighbourhoods. This is in contrast to tennis courts, which tend to be found in less deprived areas.
The Guardian’s analysis draws on a live database, meaning recent figures for sports facility closures may change as individual centres update their records.
