Louie Harris is relishing the “sacrifice and commitment” of turning pro and wants to prove to other British talents that becoming a full-time padel player is a viable career option.
Harris this week signed for leading racket brand Nox and it’s understood he also recently secured a contract with a leading court booking platform, which is yet to be announced.
These sponsorships will help sustain the Welshman as he forges a career in the game. He turned pro in January after several years of combining training and competitions with being a part-time personal trainer and padel coach in Marbella.
The 20-year-old told The Padel Paper: “Nox have been very professional and ‘on the ball’ ever since our first contact. They’re a great company and doing great things for the sport. As soon as there was an offer there that we were happy with, it was a no-brainer to sign.”
Oliver Morgan of Activate Management, who represent Harris as well as GB No.1s Tia Norton and Christian Murphy, said: “I’m pleased for Louie who has found himself a fantastic sponsor in NOX. NOX recognise not only his potential as an athlete but also his profile in the UK which is a key growth market for any international brand.
“Padel is rapidly becoming a phenomenon here and the particularly promising thing is we are now seeing interest from non-padel brands wanting to enter the space. So this just the tip of the iceberg – a bright future awaits for many of our professional players.”
With LTA support for Great Britain’s top padel players set to be announced shortly, Harris will have solid foundations to launch his quest for a top 200 place in the world rankings and the LTA top five.
“The way padel is growing at the moment means that sponsorship opportunities are becoming available,” said Harris. “The LTA funding is very close now too which will be a huge financial help to me being a full-time athlete.
“The UK is not necessarily as advanced as some other countries yet, but if you put the work in and you’re willing to commit and make a few sacrifices, then you can definitely make it as a career.”
Nevertheless, the 6ft 3” GB international admits that the decision to turn pro was “very difficult”.
“It was a big decision for me, but you’ve got to sacrifice some things if you want to get the maximum out of it. If you don’t put the hours into practice and travelling, you’ll never be able to reach that point where you get the bigger prize money and sponsorships.
“You’ve got to look at it as an investment. By investing a lot of time into yourself, you give yourself the best chance of having a successful career. Until you reach that point, you’ve got to accept it for what it is. It might not easy, but if you want to live this kind of life, it’s part of the process.”
Harris spent the first two and a half months of the year training at an academy in Madrid, in between competitions on the World Padel Tour and FIP circuits. He also popped back to British shores in February to win his first LTA Grade One event at Surge Padel in Harrogate.
“The transition has definitely not been too shabby so far!” he chuckles. “When I was working part-time, I always wondered, ‘what if?’ But I’m very happy with the decision to go full-time. It’s a great opportunity and I’m enjoying every day.”
The next assignment for Harris, who has lived in Marbella since the age of 12, is a trip to Saudi Arabia for the FIP Star Riyadh event, where he will begin in qualifying alongside fellow GB international Sam Jones on May 10.
