The Pro Padel League (PPL) – North America’s first professional Padel league – is excited to announce that former ATP World Tour #1 doubles player Jared Palmer, has been signed as a free agent to play for the San Diego Stingrays. Palmer joins former #2 ATP World Tour Singles Player Tommy Hass – an owner of the San Diego Stingrays – as the second ATP player to be a part of the team for their inaugural season.
During his prestigious career, Palmer was the #1 ranked ATP World Tour doubles player in 2000 and was ranked as high as number 35 in singles. Capturing 28 professional doubles titles including the Australian Open (1995) and Wimbledon (2001) titles, Palmer also won two mixed doubles Grand Slam titles (Australian Open (2000), US Open (2002)), one singles title, was a member of the U.S. Davis Cup Team, and played in the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics. Prior to his professional career, Palmer was the NCAA Division I Singles Champion in 1991 at Stanford University.
“I’m very excited to join the San Diego Stingrays and am looking forward to the first ever season of the Pro Padel League,” said Jared Palmer, former #1 ATP World Tour Doubles Player. “I’ve had so much fun playing Padel in Sweden and, seeing it become incredibly popular over there, I believe the future is very bright for the game here in the United States. A big congratulations to everyone involved for bringing this vision to life. VAMOS!“
Taktika Padel, home of the San Diego Stingrays, is based out of the award-winning facility, the Barnes Tennis Center. Located in San Diego, California, it is one of the most successful tennis programs and centers in the world that annually hosts an ATP 250 and WTA 500 level professional tennis tournament. A seven court facility, Taktika Padel has built a stadium court, installed live streaming cameras, and has a performance center for physical training and rehab, food and beverage, and a dedicated pro shop.
“We are so excited to have signed Jared Palmer to the San Diego Stingrays. Jared is an extraordinary Padel player having competed for the USA at the 2022 Senior World Championships,” commented Ryan Redondo, Co-Owner of the San Diego Stingrays. “Jared’s experience in tennis having won multiple Grand Slams, competing in the Olympics, and reaching the #1 ATP ranking will certainly help us in seeking a PPL Cup! Most importantly, Jared is a class act and true professional.”
The PPL’s first Player Draft was held on March 20th and received approximately 500 hundred applications from top North American and international players from Australia, Asia, South America, the United Kingdom, and Europe. The PPL’s inaugural season will kick-off in May of 2023 with seven teams and conclude with the PPL CUP in June of 2023 where the four best teams will compete for the title.
The PPL’s mission is to create a premier sports league providing a national stage for the sport while generating nationwide awareness and excitement for Padel. Something that has never been done before, the PPL will provide players and fans with a new platform that showcases Padel and grows participation in the sport.
Currently, Padel has over 25 million players worldwide and is growing in popularity in the U.S. with the number of Padel courts set to double in 2023. Over 8 million players are projected to be playing in the U.S. by 2030. The PPL will enable players, coaches, team owners, facility owners, broadcasters, fans, sponsors, and brands to all be involved in, and capitalize on, the sport’s explosive growth.
Dedicated to celebrating Padel’s Spanish roots, the League has made VAMOS the PPL’s official slogan. For more information on the PPL, visit: https://propadelleague.com/. VAMOS!