While the paddleil pickleball and the tennis While media attention is focused on racket sports, a deeper reality structures the global market. In the background, less visible disciplines – badminton, table tennis, squash, racquetball, beach tennis, table tennis or traditional tennis – are nevertheless shaping it. player participation, player development, club economics and infrastructure models.
Come Philippe Azar laughs, Global racket industry strategist :
“Make no mistake: these so-called ‘secondary’ sports silently structure practice, talent pools and community sport around the world.”
Mass sport, the invisible foundation of the system
The badminton and the table tennis represent yourself more than 400 million professionals worldwideof which approx 325 million in AsiaTheir role is central: low access costs, school integration, early motor learning, structured local competitions.
These disciplines feed directly into the major sports. They train players, coaches, referees and create a sustainable sports culturewell before reaching the highest level.
“These are the factors that drive mass participation. The major racket sports are built on this foundation, even if they don’t always recognize it,” emphasizes Philippe Azar.
Squash and racquetball: maximum intensity, minimum space
Con more than 50,000 courts worldwideSquash and racquetball maintain a strong presence, in particular:
- within Commonwealth countries
- within dense urban areas
- within corporate and academic networks
Their strength: intensive training on small surfacescompatible with current real estate constraints and programs well-being in the company.
Tourism, experiential and niche sports
Discipline come beach tennisil platform tennis o paddle variants are developing strongly in:
- i resort
- i tourist locations
- i prestigious tourist areas
They follow a clear logic: experience, local culture, short events, targeted sponsorships.
“These sports maintain innovation and tell a local story, which is what brands are looking for today,” analyzes Philippe Azar.
Hybrid clubs and infrastructure reconversion: the economic turning point
One of the key points that emerged from the analysis of the sector concerns the evolution of club models :
- Growth from +35% to +42% in hybrid/multisport clubs
- 1 tennis court = 3 paddle courts or 4 pickleball courts
In cifre (2025):
- Tennis: ~106 million players, ~80,000 courts
- Fell : ~30 million players, ~80,000 courts
- Pickleball: ~24 million players, ~80,000 courts
These conversions profoundly modify the economy of the structures, without marginalizing other sports. redefine their role.
“These transformations do not eliminate ‘shadow’ sports. They reposition their value in the ecosystem,” insists Philippe Azar.
A pool of multifunctional and undervalued talent
Another key factor: Over 75% of professional players have played multiple racket sports during their training.
Coordination, reading the game, volleying, movement: the skills flow naturally between the disciplines.
A concrete example cited by Philippe Azar:
“In a suburban club, a redeveloped squash program has become the hub of extracurricular activities. Children discover racket sports there before moving on to tennis or padel. This type of channel matters much more than the growth figures advertised in the media.”
Resilience and complementarity: a strategic challenge
These sports also offer important structural advantages:
- small territorial footprint
- better indoor compatibility
- less exposed to noise and zoning restrictions
- strong capacity for social inclusion
They improve the annual profitabilityil retention of professionals but also the income diversification.
A non-competitive, but complementary market
The global racket sports market it is not a zero-sum gameMediated disciplines do not thrive in isolation: they rely on a larger, discrete but fundamental system.
“Considering all racket sports as complementary activities helps to secure revenues, consolidate clubs in their territory and reduce the risk associated with monosport,” concludes Philippe Azar.
At a time when clubs, investors and regions are rethinking their models, ignoring so-called “underground” racket sports would be a mistake. strategic mistakeThey are the ones who silently ensure the solidity of the structure.
Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.
