England loses tennis courts as padel facilities surge

England has lost almost 200 tennis courts in three years as padel facilities have expanded rapidly. The country lost 183 courts since 2023, according to Guardian analysis of Sport England data.

The decline marks the first recorded fall in the number of tennis courts since at least 2000. The figures cover local authority and community-owned courts, private health facilities, schools and sports clubs.

At the same time, padel facilities have grown nearly sixfold. Tennis courts still outnumber padel facilities by 11 to one, despite the shift in the sporting landscape.