The story of Hong Kong Padel+ could end up in any textbook covering the positive effects of globalization. Here we have a Hong Kong based family, Father Weston Yu and his son Curtis, traveling to Europe to fall in love with a sport developed in Mexico in the 70s, which in turn is based on a sport formalized in England in the 1800s, originated in France during the 1200s – if you want to go back really far. The Yu family partnered up with a Belgian padel coach, Sebastien Ortega, born to Spanish parents. They cater to the cosmopolitan population of Hong Kong – arguably one of the most diverse cities in the world. So it is not an understatement to say that the Yu’s are tapping into a global cultural phenomenon.
After covid ended, Weston and Curtis Yu went to Europe not knowing they would embark upon a new business journey. Both interested in sport in general, padel, with its combination of socializing and competition, struck a chord. Realizing that there were no courts in Hong Kong at the time, they decided to start their own club.
In the midst of planning Padel+, they got connected with Sebastien – a long time tennis and padel coach looking for opportunities in Hong Kong. They first met in march of 2023, and already in September, the club was up and running.
“We were off to a flying start, doing different events for companies, coaching sessions, running tournaments and even hosting Asia Pacific Padel Tour with over 160 players from 30 nations”, Curtis says. The biggest struggle is in introducing the sport to more people than expats living in Hong Kong.
To introduce the sport event further to close to 8 million people in Hong Kong, they partnered with real estate company Swire Properties to create a popup padel court in the busy high-rises of downtown Hong Kong Taikoo Place. A more urban setting for a padel court is hard to imagine. This padel court is the first of its kind in downtown Hong Kong, ensuring the community get its first taste of this popular social sport. Check it out!
