Oliver Morgan was in the vanguard of the UK padel explosion and is an influential figure in the sport as the manager of top British players and founder of the Pro Am Padel Tour. Padel has now entered British mainstream public consciousness, yet by many metrics our growth lags behind other European nations’. Oliver urges UK padel stakeholders to work together and learn from each other in order to transform the UK from a potential “padel backwater” into a major world force.
How did you first get into padel?
I first played padel on a pop-up court at St George’s Hill Tennis Club Weybridge where I was a member for many years. I was already working in sports management, and it was immediately obvious that there was huge potential in the UK and that commercial opportunities would arise for our top players. There was a disconnect between the evolving scene in the UK and the pro circuit which at that time was very Spain-centric, but it was inevitable that at some point British sponsors would want to know who our top players were.
There was very little information online – the only information I could find on Tia Norton was a three year-old article in the Coventry Observer. I signed both British no.1s, Tia and Christian Murphy, followed by Louie Harris and Aimee Gibson (now British no.1). Tia’s deal with Game4Padel was, I believe, the first proper sponsorship of a British padel player.
What were your early impressions of the industry?
The domestic competition scene at that point had a very amateur feel. The events were drawing no spectators and no media. Obviously that was a problem because my players need profile to attract sponsors.
A lightbulb moment for me was Game4Padel’s activation at Westfield shopping centre (incredibly just two years ago!). That generated an impressive amount of publicity thanks to the presence of Andy and Jamie Murray, and celebrities like Jamie Theakston and Laura Bailey. High-profile figures like Jurgen Klopp were also starting to post about the sport on Instagram, so it became clear that the celebrity interest in padel was a key factor driving the growth of the sport, and we needed to lean into that. That’s where the idea for the Pro Am Padel Tour began.
How has the Pro Am Padel Tour evolved?
Our first event was in April 2023 at the Roehampton Club. We had eight celebs, eight pros, my small team and the guy serving tacos! It was cold, wet and the roof of the taco gazebo blew off. But by our third event, we had John Terry, Jos Buttler, Danni Wyatt and Sam Billings all playing, and the event was covered by BBC Breakfast and the Mail Online. By that stage, I felt we were onto something.
We wanted to use our platform to effect positive social change, so we started working with charities and foundations such as Rackets Cubed, the Black Heart Foundation, BADU and Foundation 92, as well as linking up with local schools. We wanted to leave a mark on each city we visit.
We have also introduced a Next Gen component which gives GB’s top juniors, like Liam and Chloe de La Mare from Guernsey, the chance to come along, get on court, and mix with pros.
At recent events we’ve had Theo Walcott, Jill Scott, Adam Peaty , Phil Jones, Laura Robson, Ryan Thomas, Kem Cetinay, and other really high-profile guests. We’ve been fortunate to attract the interest of a number of sponsors like CUPRA, which means we can reinvest and work with them to build the Tour further.
What next?
In 2025, Pro Am Padel Tour events will span two days. Day one will be a full Community Day where we run sessions on youth, diversity and inclusion, and driving participation. Day two will be the Pro Am as we know it know – celebs, media, influencers, pros and Next Gen, with the addition of a corporate/sponsor cup.
On the player side, all my players are training hard and have big years lined up in 2025! That top 100 berth is very much a goal for several of them.
Where next for padel in the UK?
Padel is a phenomenon. I can’t think of any other sport which has grown so quickly and in such a fashion.
And now we’re at an inflexion point. Heightened media coverage has brought the sport into the mainstream. Brands from outside of padel are getting involved. This is the moment we’ve been waiting for – and those of us who have been involved since the beginning have an opportunity – but also a duty – to lead the sport into that next stage. We are custodians of the sport.
We all know people in padel who are more interested in protecting their own fiefdoms than taking an expansive view. To an extent I understand why people want to protect what they’ve built. But as new faces and new investment enter the scene – which will happen more and more – they should be welcomed. Extra investment in the sport benefits us all.
Ultimately when padel moves into the mainstream it will be competing against other sports for commercial interest, TV airtime, public funding and the public pocket. If we are going to survive with the big fish we need to pull together and maintain that broader perspective even if the natural rivalries remain within the sport on a day-to-day basis.
Do you think that growing the sport is the LTA’s job?
It seems to be fashionable to criticise the LTA. In my view, they do a good job under difficult circumstances. It’s right that we hold them to account and expect high standards, but we can do that in a way that’s constructive. The LTA and the private sector should be working together to grow the game. I’ve seen real intent from the LTA this year to do that.
What are UK padel’s key objectives from here?
To position the UK as one of the leading padel nations in the world. Hosting a Premier Padel would send that message. We have Wimbledon, The Open Championship and the British Grand Prix; we are the home of football, rugby and cricket. Why not padel?
We need to make sure we don’t become a backwater. Neither GB team qualified for this year’s World Championships. That’s not taking anything away from the players and coaches. More than anyone, I understand the efforts being made. This year, Aimee Gibson has gone from 250 in the world to the highest ever ranking held by a Brit – 115 – in the space of 10 months. Tia was the first British woman ever to play in a Premier Padel event. So there has been encouraging individual progress.
But clearly, this isn’t the level we want to be at as a nation. To consider ourselves a world force we need multiple players in the world top 100 and ideally the top 50. To get there will take time and a number of factors to come into play.
We have a generational opportunity in front of us. With a collaborative approach, we can build British padel up and earn a seat at the sport’s top table.
