Premier Padel, the leading professional padel tour owned by Qatar Sports Investments, has collaborated with Art Basel Qatar to transform a padel court into a vibrant artwork inspired by Doha's skyline. The installation, designed by French artist Sebastien Boileau, blends sport and contemporary art during the fair's inaugural edition in Doha. It highlights padel's accessibility while promising a social legacy through gifting to a local center for disabilities.
In a fusion of sport and culture, Premier Padel unveiled a unique padel court reimagined as an artistic installation at the first Art Basel Qatar. Owned by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), the tour partnered with the renowned art fair and French artist Sebastien Boileau, professionally known as Mr. D 1987, to create this project. The court, supplied by official partner MejorSet, features a design drawing from Doha's nighttime skyline, with its electric energy, impressive lighting, and rich colors extending across the playing surface, glass walls, and surrounding structures.
The inauguration on February 6, 2026, gathered prominent figures including H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums; Nasser Al Khelaifi, Chairman of QSI and Premier Padel; football icon David Beckham; International Padel Federation President Luigi Carraro; MCH Group Chairman and CEO Andrea Zappia; Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz; and Art Fairs Chief Artistic Officer Vincenzo de Bellis. This event underscores the intersection of art, sport, and urban identity.
Open to the public during the activation period, the court can be booked via the Playtomic platform, emphasizing padel's role in community engagement. As Mr. D 1987 explained, “The main inspiration was Doha and its beautiful skyline, with its electric energy, impressive lighting and rich colors. I love color, and that became the driving force behind the design. I wanted the experience to be about playing padel on top of an artwork, creating something powerful, energetic and unforgettable.”
Post-event, the installation will be donated to the Shafallah Center for Persons with Disabilities, a Qatar Foundation initiative supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism up to age 21. Nasser Al Khelaifi commented, “Bringing sport and art together is an amazing way of uniting people and cultures. By transforming a padel court into a work of art, we are inviting people to engage with the sport in a new and inspiring way, reflecting energy and creativity shared by Art Basel, QSI and Premier Padel. We always want to do things differently at QSI; being bold, innovating and attracting new audiences - and this is a great example of that mindset, in partnership with the world-renowned Art Basel.”
This initiative aligns with Premier Padel's focus on inclusion, accessibility, and social impact through sport.