PadelStars targets 50% female participation with ex-LTA No 1

UK operator PadelStars has named former LTA No 1 female Ellie Tait as its first player ambassador.

The 30-year-old is to play a vital role in PadelStars’ ambitious campaign at increasing female participation to 50% across its venues by 2027. As ambassador, Tait will attend events, activations and deliver padel clinics.

PadelStars, which has 11 venues across the south and south east England with plans to open a further six in the next six months, currently has female participation at 28%. The national average is 30%, according to participation data released in March 2026 by padel’s UK governing body the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).

The company identified in November 2025 the need to increase the number of women and girls playing padel across its venues, following an internal meeting around gender imbalance.

PadelStars says it has put substance behind its effort to encourage and grow female participation by also supporting Tait on her career journey.

Jeevan Gill, COO of PadelStars said: “Ellie is the perfect cultural fit for PadelStars and is a great role model to encourage women and girls to try padel.

“Ellie was an international hockey player before she took up padel and with our clubs built alongside existing sports facilities, including hockey venues, we see many people from other sports playing padel.”

Tait, who has begun 2026 competing internationally on the Cupra FIP Tour, says she is ready to play a key role in growing the sport amongst women and using her profile on tour to raise awareness.

“I’m really excited to be partnering with PadelStars at such an important time for the sport,” she said. “Their ambition to reach 50/50 male and female participation by 2027 is bold, but it’s exactly what padel needs as it grows.

“It shows a tangible commitment to building something inclusive from the start, where women feel just as welcome and represented on court! For me it’s exciting to help bring it to life in a practical way.

“I am also grateful to PadelStars for their backing as having PadelStars behind me is a game changer. With their backing, I can train hard, compete regularly, and stay focused on maintaining my top 10 position in Great Britain.”

PadelStars believes Tait’s on-court success will enable it to capitalise on delivering the company-wide strategy to grow female participation, with implementation already underway and 2026 seen as a ‘test pilot’ year.

In addition to Tait, Padelstars has asked Fiona Coope, assistant manager at PadelStars St Albans, to spearhead its efforts to increase female participation. 

Coope has identified the barriers for women taking up the sport and is developing a programme and range of activities that aims to negate these. This aims to make padel more inclusive, accessible, and welcoming for women to engage with the sport.

She said: “There are a number of factors that are stopping women from playing the sport. There are confidence issues around ability and body image; they don’t want to be in a male-dominated environment, especially newcomers; there are safety concerns on location, particularly at night; and the facilities need to be of a certain standard.

“Being aware of this enables us to put on events and activities that allay these fears and bring together women and girls into a fun and sociable environment.”

The strategy recognises that women entering the sport have diverse needs, ranging from highly competitive players to complete beginners seeking a supportive environment. As a result, PadelStars is developing a broad mix of entry points, including coaching sessions, tournaments, and community-driven events.

Moving forward, the initiative aims to expand to include partnerships with local schools, as well as holiday camps and junior pathways.

Insights gathered throughout 2026 will inform a wider rollout in 2027, with the aim of building long-term, sustainable growth in female padel participation across the sport.

Gill added: “The 50/50 ambition really matters because padel is still such a new sport, and that means we’ve got a rare chance to do things differently from the very start. In many established sports, gender imbalance has been baked in for decades. While it’s great to see progress in sports like football, cricket and rugby, padel gives us a clean slate to get that balance right from day one.

“It taps into that love of group activity many women enjoy, bringing back the kind of energy you’d find in netball teams or aerobics classes.

“And let’s be honest, women are incredible community builders. They show up, they support, they bring friends, and they help create that welcoming, vibrant atmosphere every great padel club needs. They don’t just play the sport, they help it thrive.”

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