We claimed a space nobody else had

Robyn Duda, the founder of RacquetX – North America’s biggest racquet sports festival – talks about building the event from nothing, why padel was the spark and why UK readers should mark June 9 in their calendars

Why did you create RacquetX?

It was clear there was a need in the market and people had validated that. I love building things. There are very few white spaces left where you can genuinely create something new. And mixing sport, connection and events? That’s kind of a dream for me.

The timing was right, too. Racquet sports were on the rise and nobody had claimed the space. We came in at the right time when padel was still early enough to be intriguing, pickleball was established but still finding itself and tennis had been growing steadily, with major brands starting to move into pickleball and padel.

There was this undeniable crossover between the sports. It felt like there had to be a way to make it work. We never wanted to leave out squash, table tennis or any of the other sports represented [at RacquetX] because we want everyone to be part of it. But it started with those three because they have the most players and generate the most revenue.

Padel has had a remarkable few years. What does that growth look like from where you’re sitting?

It’s exciting. When we launched, padel was still early enough that it felt like a genuine discovery moment for a lot of people in the U.S. Now it’s much more established and you’re seeing serious investment and real infrastructure. The fact that we had the National Padel League Finals (NPL) taking place as part of RacquetX this year tells you something about where the sport has come. That wouldn’t have been possible three years ago.

The UK racquet sports scene is buzzing right now

What was new at RacquetX this year?

We had what I’d call a proper centre court district. We partnered with LaBella and Production to bring in stadium seating, so you can actually watch pros play in a true competitive environment. And once we had that, it changed the dynamic for sponsors too as we really encouraged all of them to bring it. Bring your athletes. Put on a show. There’s now this brilliant competition between sponsors to have the biggest crowd at their activations. That energy was incredible to be around.

The National Padel League took place at RacquetX – was that a significant moment for American padel?

It really was. The NPL has had a record-breaking inaugural season and established itself as the premier amateur padel team competition in the US. The fact that the finals are happening as part of RacquetX, with all finalists getting a three-day pass to the event, created exactly the kind of connection we want between elite amateur competition and the wider industry. It reinforces RacquetX’s role at the centre of the U.S. padel ecosystem.

And racquetx is now coming to ukshores?

Yes! You are going to see a smaller version of RacquetX, the City Series, coming on 9 June 2026. We’ve wedged it in right before the FIFA World Cup and just ahead of Wimbledon, which felt like the perfect window before the heart of British summer sporting season. We want to see what kind of reception our brand gets over in the UK and whether there’s an opportunity to bring a bigger show eventually.

Is a full UK RacquetX event something you can see happening?

The London City Series will tell us a lot. Our whole approach has been: go in, learn, listen. We did five US cities this year through the City Series — sold out every single one. We take that intelligence and feed it back into the main event. The UK trip is the same philosophy. We want healthy growth, not forced growth. But I’ll say this: the UK racquet sports scene is buzzing right now, and we’re paying very close attention.

What is RacquetX?

RacquetX is a premier, world-class festival and conference uniting the global racquet sports industry – including tennis, pickleball, padel, squash and badminton. Held annually, it brings together brands, players, coaches, investors and facility owners to explore industry trends, technology, and cross-sport growth.

The latest RacquetX ran March 13–15, 2026 at the Broward County Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale. The RacquetX City Series comes to London on June 9, 2026. For more information visit [www.theracquetx.com](http://www.theracquetx.com/)