This weekend, two major global sporting events are taking place in Qatar: on one hand, the QATAR MAJOR from the PREMIER PADEL circuit, and on the other, the start of the MOTOGP World Championship.
Taking advantage of this unique overlap, yesterday we got to see some truly delightful images on MOTOGP's social media accounts. Several riders and elite athletes, including Javi Martínez, were spotted enjoying our favorite sport: padel. We’re thrilled to see that padel is winning over motorsport stars too!
It’s yet another sign of the fantastic moment padel is experiencing on the global stage. As the fastest-growing sport in terms of amateur players, it's clearly making its mark on the world’s sports culture.
The photos and videos shared across social media and specialized outlets showed the riders, far from the adrenaline of the track, enjoying some rallies and laughter on the padel court—proof that the padel bug is biting athletes from all kinds of disciplines.
Seeing elite athletes—so used to the physical and mental demands of their own sports—finding in padel a fun and relaxing outlet highlights this sport’s power to transcend borders and connect people from all walks of life. Its ability to attract both top athletes and people of all ages and fitness levels shows that padel is far from just a passing trend—it’s a sport with a bright future and a growing, passionate global community.
This moment in Qatar is a small but significant example of the golden era padel is currently enjoying. The fact that world-renowned figures are jumping on the padel bandwagon not only boosts its visibility but also inspires more people to give it a try.
So now you know—if you spot a sports star with a padel racket in hand, don’t be surprised!