As covered in our ongoing series, padel’s rapid UK expansion continues to reveal a stark gender divide, with women and girls at just 30% of players. On International Women’s Day, the LTA and FIP pledged new initiatives to boost female participation amid upcoming data releases.
Padel, blending tennis and squash, has exploded in the UK, yet Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) figures—due next week—show only 30% female players, contrasting sharply with tennis where women lead global earnings (three top female athletes and eight of top 10 in 2025).
LTA head of padel Tom Murray affirmed: “As the national governing body, the LTA is committed to opening up padel, breaking down barriers to create meaningful opportunities for women and girls.” This builds on prior efforts like She Rallies, partnering with venues for women- and girls-only sessions.
Complementing initiatives like Empower Padel (profiled earlier in this series), which has built a 2,500-woman database since 2024, the LTA aims to seize padel’s “once-in-a-lifetime” chance for early gender balance—unlike football or even padel heartlands Spain and Argentina (28% top female players). UK junior girls’ events risk cancellation due to low turnout, underscoring urgency.
On International Women’s Day, the International Padel Federation (FIP) reinforced its equality push, promoting inclusive growth models.