Padel Promises fuels youth grit

It’s only been five years since the first public padel courts were introduced to South Africans but it has since become the fastest growing sport in the country with over 100 000 active players involved. 

The player base is evenly split between men and women, with nearly 60% aged 35–65.

Now an organisation named Padel Promises is giving its attention to the development of youth in the sport. It has also brought the International Padel Federation (FIP) on board, which has allowed South African youngsters to join the global circuit and earn ranking points, giving them an opportunity to travel and experience the sport overseas. 

Padel Promises’s mission is clear — to uplift and empower young people through high-level competition, holistic development and the unifying power of sport.

The idea of starting the organisation grew out of the rapid rise of padel in the country and the realisation that its young players needed a proper pathway to developing beyond recreational level, FIP Promises South Africa founder Aadila Seedat says.

It became clearer to her because of the deep connection her children shared with the sport, but the programme still had to be secured. 

“To secure the programme, we engaged directly with the International Padel Federation, put forward a development plan and showed that South Africa has the commitment, coaching support, and organisational capability to build a long-term junior system,” Seedat said. 

“This meant meeting all FIP requirements, setting up compliant tournament formats, ensuring proper safeguarding for minors and demonstrating that we could host consistent, well-run events focused on youth development.”

South Africa has come a long way since the first court for padel —  which has some similarities to tennis and squash —  was built in 2019 at Val de Vie Estate in Paarl. By December 2024, there were 286 venues and 864 courts in the country. 

The sport is however still relatively new and small here compared with countries like Spain — known as the home of padel with more than 16  000 courts — as well as Italy and Sweden. 

After a successful first tournament, Seedat was officially granted the rights to run FIP Promises in South Africa, opening the door for players to step onto a recognised international pathway.

“Since Padel Promises brought FIP Promises to South Africa, it has put the country on the international map. It made me take my training more seriously and pushed me to improve faster,” says Fayzaan Anverali, who is ranked number one in South Africa for under 16 boys.

Prior to the existence of the FIP Promises South Africa, he would play in weekly tournaments, but it didn’t contribute to anything bigger. 

“Playing against kids my age from different places showed me what I need to work on and also gave me confidence that I can compete with strong players. It’s helped me learn how to prepare better, stay focused and understand the game on a deeper level,” Fayzaan told the Mail & Guardian. 

He was one of several youngsters who completed their final tournament of the year on 6 December and made a name for themselves.

Nu’aym Rasool, who is also ranked in the top three at under 16, says the introduction of the organisation has allowed him to make lifelong connections and friendships. 

Another ranked player, Muhammad Uwais Rasool, says the formation of FIP Promises has given youngsters a platform to show off talent that no one might have noticed before. 

Bringing FIP Padel Promises was not just intended to get the young people ranked within the country but actually put them on the global circuit. Padel Promises applied to the M3 academy in Madrid, Spain so that some of them could train in the same environment as some of the world’s best players of the sport.

Their trip to Spain coincided with the FIP Promises León tournament and Seedat says the organisation entered them to give them an experience of international competition. 

“The entire experience was unforgettable. The boys learnt so much from the level of European competition to the pace, discipline and mindset required at the highest level,” she said.

Young Fayzaan, who was part of the tour, says it was eye opening from a tactical perspective.

“The level is very high and the players are super consistent — they hardly make mistakes and they’re always focused. They also have really good tactics and know exactly where to move on the court,” he told the M&G.

“At home our players are talented, but overseas kids get more experience and have been exposed to the sport longer. They also train at a really intense level every day. Seeing that made me realise what I need to do if I want to reach that level myself.”

The handful of youngsters who got to participate internationally have brought their experience back home and shared it amongst other players to help everyone improve their game, said Seedat.

“Once the boys returned home, they immediately began sharing their stories with their friends  talking about the level of play in Europe, the intensity of the training, and the small tactical details they picked up along the way,” she said.

“Hearing firsthand what international competition feels like has inspired the players around them, raised the level of excitement, and motivated others to push harder. This kind of peer-to-peer influence helps lift the overall standard and contributes directly to building a stronger youth padel system across the country.”

They all hope to become professionals in the sport some day. 

Muhammad believes having a South African superstar who will rise internationally very soon is not a far off prospect.

Fayzaan has been travelling to Spain every three months to constantly improve his level and back home he trains weekly with one of the best players in the country, Tremayne Mitchell. 

Looking ahead to 2026, Padel Promises South Africa will likely see many more of these international tours, giving even more local youth the chance to compete abroad, grow their game and bring that knowledge back home, Seedat says.