The Pro Padel League (PPL) has added a luxury signing off the courts. The American Frances Tiafoe, currently number 17 in the ATP ranking and one of the most charismatic figures in tennis, has joined the New York Atlantics padel team as an investor and advisor. This is an unprecedented move: it is the first time that an active professional tennis player is directly linked to a top level padel franchise.
The alliance goes far beyond financial support. Frances Tiafoe is not only providing capital – acquiring approximately 3.3% of the ownership – but also joining the management padel team to offer strategic advice, getting involved in sporting and management decision-making. ‘I am delighted to join New York Atlantics not only as an investor, but as part of the team shaping the future of this incredible sport,’ said the American, who is convinced of padel’s potential to grow in the United States.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
The New York team, which has three players in the world top 10 – including number one Ari Sanchez – thus reinforces its leadership structure. In addition to Tiafoe, the legendary Juan Martin Diaz is already serving as a strategic advisor, forming a duo of knowledge and experience that promises to propel the club forward.
The funding round, which is worth more than $2 million and values the franchise at more than $10 million (well above the initial $200,000 entry fee to join the league in 2023), also includes FC Dallas goalkeeper Maarten Paes and CourtSense founder and extenuator Gordon Uehling.
For Diego Zalazar, head coach and general manager of the Atlantics, having an athlete of Tiafoe’s calibre is ‘an incalculable benefit, both for management and player motivation’. And for the PPL, it is a media and sporting endorsement that confirms its projection as a professional league of reference in international padel.
|
You may be interested in:
- Publicidad -
- Publicidad -
|
