The World Padel Tour (WPT) was the most influential professional padel circuit of the modern era. Running for over a decade, it produced legends, transformed competitive standards, expanded global interest, and set the foundation for the current Premier Padel era.
This guide breaks down the complete history, evolution, structure, controversies, and eventual transition from the WPT era to the unified global tour system.
🟦 What Was the World Padel Tour?
The World Padel Tour (WPT) was the world’s leading professional padel circuit from 2013 to 2023. It brought structure, professionalisation, and global visibility to the sport.
It replaced the earlier Padel Pro Tour and became the first fully commercialised professional padel tour.
🟩 Key Milestones in WPT History
2013 — WPT Launches
- Backed by major Spanish sports organisations
- Featured the best players from Spain and Argentina
- Introduced consistent tournament structure and rankings
2015–2017 — Rapid Expansion
- Events added across Europe and Latin America
- Major sponsorship deals began
- Broadcast quality improved significantly
2018–2020 — The Golden Era
- Massive growth in TV viewership
- Stars like Galán, Tapia, Triay, and Sánchez emerged
- WPT cemented itself as the global standard
2021–2022 — Player Conflicts Begin
- Players signed independent agreements with Premier Padel
- Legal disputes arose over contracts
- Dual-tour conflict split the sport temporarily
2023 — Last Full Season of WPT
- Final year of the tour
- Transition discussions began
2024 — WPT Officially Merges into Premier Padel
- A unified global circuit is established
- WPT ceases as a standalone tour
🟨 WPT Tournament Structure
Main Event Categories:
- Master
- Open
- Challenger (earlier seasons)
- Master Final (season-ending championship)
Draw & Format:
- 28–32 pair main draw
- Qualifying rounds
- Best-of-three sets
- Tiebreak at 6–6
The Master Final became one of the biggest events of the season.
🟧 WPT Ranking System
Players earned points based on:
- Tournament category
- Round reached
- Consistency across the season
WPT rankings were the benchmark for nearly a decade.
🟫 Iconic Partnerships of the WPT Era
- Belasteguín / Lima
- Sánchez / Josemaría
- Gutiérrez / Navarro
- Di Nenno / Stupaczuk
- Marrero / Ortega
These partnerships defined tactics and competition standards.
🟥 How WPT Revolutionised Professional Padel
WPT introduced major innovations:
✔ Professional broadcast
High-quality production elevated the sport.
✔ International expansion
Events held across Europe, Middle East, and Latin America.
✔ Training evolution
Players became more athletic and strategic.
✔ Increased prize money
Attracted more professional athletes.
✔ Commercial appeal
Sponsors and brands entered the sport.
WPT turned padel into a global spectacle.
🟦 The Decline of WPT
WPT faced challenges that accelerated its collapse:
1. Contract disputes with players
Players wanted more freedom and better terms.
2. Competition from the new Premier Padel tour
Premier Padel offered:
- Bigger prize pools
- Higher-quality venues
- Universal ranking integration
3. Fragmented calendar
Two tours created scheduling conflicts.
4. Legal battles
Court cases created tension between players and organisers.
Eventually, it became clear that a unified tour was needed.
🟩 The Transition to Premier Padel
In 2024, WPT officially merged into the unified Premier Padel structure.
Impact of the merger:
- One global ranking system
- No more tour conflicts
- Increased prize money
- Fully international calendar
- Higher broadcast standards
This marked the end of the WPT era and the beginning of a new professional age.
🟨 WPT’s Legacy
Even though WPT no longer exists, its legacy remains enormous:
🏆 Sporting Legacy
- Produced iconic rivalries
- Elevated player professionalism
- Defined modern padel tactics
📈 Commercial Legacy
- Introduced global sponsorship
- Built large fanbases
👥 Cultural Legacy
- Created padel superstars
- Influenced playing styles worldwide
WPT shaped the sport for a decade.
🟧 Betting Perspective: WPT vs Modern Premier Padel
Understanding WPT history helps bettors because:
✔ Older player data comes from the WPT era
Useful for long-term analytics.
✔ Style evolution began under WPT
Power vs control dynamics formed here.
✔ Veteran players often peaked during WPT
Important for form comparisons.
✔ WPT conditions differ from today’s events
Influences indoor/outdoor splits.
🟫 Summary
The World Padel Tour was the most influential professional padel circuit in modern history. It:
- Built global padel culture
- Created the sport’s biggest stars
- Established professional standards
- Paved the way for the new unified Premier Padel tour
The WPT era may be over, but its impact defines padel today.
Next: Page 4 — Big 2025 Padel Events (Updated Yearly).