SYDNEY – Gucci and Waldorf Astoria have teamed up with the International Padel Federation and Padel Australia for the first major showcase of the world’s fastest rising racquet sport in the country.
On Saturday and Sunday, the Padel Invitational will be staged on a custom-built glass court on the Northern Broadwalk of the Sydney Opera House.
Presented by UBS and heavily promoted by Tennis Australia, the event will see international padel stars such as former world No.1’s Juan Martin Diaz, Alejandra Salazar and Maxi Sánchez competing in exhibition matches.
Other highlights include a Celebrity 1 Point Padel tournament featuring Australian celebrities such as former tennis world No. 1 Pat Rafter; 16-time Grand Slam doubles champion Todd Woodbridge; ‘Dune: Prophesy’, ‘Heartbreak High’ and ‘Off Campus’ actor Josh Heuston; and model Bambi Northwood-Blyth.
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“Creating a padel event at the Sydney Opera House is a powerful way to showcase the sport on an iconic stage and with Brisbane 2032 on the horizon, builds momentum towards our long-term Olympic ambition,” said Luigi Carraro, president of the International Padel Federation.
Head, the event’s official sports apparel, racquet and ball partner, is operating a pop-up boutique on-site.
On Friday evening, Gucci is staging a private VIP client takeover of the entire event space, which includes a grandstand overlooking the court, where its guests will take in a padel match, as well as the Opera House’s adjacent glass-fronted Yallamundi Rooms. The Italian fashion house will also offer free Gucci-branded coffee throughout the weekend via a customised Gucci refreshments cart.
Other commercial partners include Waterdrop, La Roche-Posay and Australia’s first Waldorf Astoria, which is under construction in close proximity to the Opera House and slated to open in 2027.
Ahead of August 27’s launch of the hospitality brand’s new Waldorf Astoria Racquet Club concept at the Ballroom Tennis Invitational at its New York property, a pop-up bar will operate throughout the Sydney event at the Yallamundi Rooms, offering premium champagne service and bespoke cocktails, including the Padel Smash and Racquet Club.
“For us, it’s an opportunity to introduce Waldorf Astoria through a sport that is rapidly becoming part of the cultural conversation, while offering guests an early expression of the Waldorf Astoria experience ahead of the opening of Waldorf Astoria Sydney in 2027,” said Jamie Kerr, vice president luxury marketing strategy of Hilton, which owns the Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Resort brand.
A hybrid of tennis and squash, padel was invented in Acapulco in 1969 by Mexican businessman Enrique Corcuera and was played in private clubs for decades, before experiencing a global boom after the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the International Padel Federation, the sport is played by over 38 million people in at least 170 countries, with participation forecast to exceed 105 million by 2030. Padel Australia estimates that more than 90,000 Australians have played the sport, with a 50 percent year on year increase in participation between 2024 and 2025.
