One of the greatest Latino tennis players in the open era, former world top 3 ranked ATP Tour and Padel enthusiast partners with the franchise to further grow the sport of Padel and bring new and existing fans closer to the game in the City of Miami and beyond
Miami, FL (Tuesday, April 4, 2023) – As Padel continues to gain momentum in North America the new Miami Padel Club has appointed Argentine tennis legend Juan Martin del Potro as strategic advisor of its ownership group. At the new franchise of the Pro Padel League (PPL), Juan Martin will advise on sports operations, marketing, and recruitment as they assemble their squad. He’ll also help the team identify talent and further raise the visibility of Padel amongst partners, fans, and the community.
“I am extremely pleased to welcome Juan Martin on board at the Miami Padel Club,” said Club Owner Ronnie Strasser. “His vast experience as a world-class, winning athlete and his knowledge and passion for the sport will be essential to reach our goal of raising awareness and understanding about Padel. He is a natural fit for our team as we continue working with key stakeholders to build an entertaining and competitive Club.”
Juan Martin made history in 2009 when he beat Roger Federer in the U.S. Open finals. He won his first Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour title in 2018 before in Stuttgart, Germany, and he claimed three more victories – among 22-tour level titles. During the 2018 season at the BNP Paribas Open, he reached a career-high ATP Tour Ranking of No. 3. He also made waves at the Olympics in London 2012 and Rio 2016, he won bronze and silver, respectively.
“I am honored to join the Miami Padel Club at such an exciting time,” said del Potro. “We share a strong passion for the sport, and this is a tremendous opportunity to drive growth in a vibrant, diverse community such as Miami by bringing more players and fans closer to the game. Miami is the epicenter of Padel as there is a strong foundation for the game and is a market with a unique opportunity to grow a team and a culture of fandom that rivals other teams in the league.”
“The PPL is rapidly expanding and we are building an exciting platform that is developing Padel in North America with our first season of competition starting in May,” said PPL Commissioner Marcos Del Pilar. “With Juan Martin advising the Miami Padel Club, he is not only an asset for the franchise, but will provide worldwide exposure for the League and further enable us to grow the sport and our community of fans around the world.”
Miami’s Padel Club is one of seven franchises it includes top players Marta Marrero former number one in the world and WTA top 40, Ruben Rivera (USA), Jose Grizpe (USA), Simon Charaf Jones (Mexico), Mateo Coles (USA), Paloma Cortina (USA), Brittney Dubins (USA), and Maria Fernanda Espinosa (Mexico).
In building anticipation for its inaugural season, the Club recently announced a ground-breaking sponsorship with Greenbriar Capital Corp, the first public ESG company to sponsor a franchise in the Pro Padel League. Greenbriar Capital Corp (Toronto Venture Exchange: GRB US OTC Market: GEBRF), is a leading developer of sustainable real estate and renewable energy.
The PPL’s inaugural season will kick off in Tampa on May 13 with seven teams and conclude with the PPL CUP on June 10-11 to determine the league’s champion. Each team will consist of two male and two female players and will follow the international scoring format.
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 this year. Over 8 million players are projected to be playing in the U.S. by 2030.
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