Padel, one of the world’s fastest-growing racquet sports, has drawn a fresh backer in India. Mercedes-Benz India has come on board as title partner of the Indian Padel Tour (IPT) for the 2026-27 season. Oganisers say the move could broaden the sport’s competitive ecosystem and attract more players and sponsors.
The season will comprise 19 professional tournaments across 10 cities, opening in Mumbai in August 2026 and closing in Bengaluru in June 2027. According to PadelPark India, which runs the tour, the calendar will feature Grand Slams, City Opens and special IPT events, giving amateur and professional players more chances to compete while feeding into India’s national ranking system.
“While participation introduces people to padel, competition inspires them to improve, dream bigger and stay engaged with the sport for years to come,” said Jigar Doshi, co-founder of PadelPark India, who added that the tour was built to create a structured competitive pathway for the sport.
Santosh Iyer, managing director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, said the partnership reflected the brand’s focus on performance and innovation. “For us, performance extends beyond the car and into the experiences we build with our customers and communities,” he said.
Pratik Doshi, co-founder of PadelPark India, called the tie-up a “defining milestone” for the tour. He said it reinforced padel’s growing stature in the country and reflected a shared commitment to building the sport’s future in India.
All about padel
Padel is a racquet sport played only in doubles, indoors or outdoors, according to the International Padel Federation.
It follows a tennis-like scoring system, 15, 30, 40, deuce and advantage, with matches usually played as the best of three sets.
The biggest difference from tennis: players can keep a rally alive after the ball rebounds off the glass walls on their side of the court. The game also uses an underhand serve, and each team gets two serves, as in tennis.
Padel has grown rapidly worldwide in recent years, with participation rising across Europe, parts of Asia and the Middle East. In India, it has gained traction as private clubs and sports facilities add dedicated courts. It’s a trend organisers expect the 10-city tour to accelerate.