BY ALAN THATCHER
Tennis star Stan Wawrinka is the latest celebrity to invest in the padel scene. The former world No.3 has acquired the rights to host a major tournament in Switzerland as part of the APT Tour.
Wawrinka, 37, plans to launch his first event in Switzerland next year, with dates and venue still to be confirmed.
He follows Scotland’s Andy Murray in choosing to invest in the development of padel.
This week Wawrinka is competing in the Italian Open and has won through to a clash with Novak Djokovic in the round of 16.
Born in Lausanne, Wawrinka now lives in Founex, near Nyon. The former world No.3 won the Australian Open in 2014, French Open in 2015, and the US Open the following year.
Partnering Roger Federer, he won a gold medal in the men’s doubles in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Padel has high hopes of reaching the Olympics with the sport coming under the umbrella of national tennis federations in many parts of the world.
The game also delivers fantastic entertainment on TV and has recently attracted significant investment from Qatar into developing the professional game.
According to industry reports, there are currently around 50 padel courts in Switzerland, mostly at indoor venues in Geneva and Zurich. A Swiss padel series is already established, with a focus on attracting more female players.
Picture from Stan Wawrinka’s Twitter page
