England has seen a significant decline in tennis courts over the past three years, with nearly 200 lost since 2023. According to data from Sport England, the number of tennis courts has decreased for the first time since at least 2000. This decline includes courts owned by local authorities, schools, community groups, and private health facilities. Meanwhile, the number of padel courts has grown rapidly, reaching more than 2,200 by the end of 2025, compared to just 382 in 2023. The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) reports that over a million people in England now play padel, up from 860,000 at the end of 2025. Padel is a sport that combines elements of tennis and squash, played on courts that are about three-quarters the size of a standard tennis court. It uses a back wall for ball returns and features underarm serves, making it easier to learn for newcomers. The sport's smaller playing area and less physically demanding nature have contributed to its growing appeal. Bee Armstrong, a London-based project manager who took up padel after a back injury, noted that the sport is more accessible and has become a popular social activity. "It's easier on the body, and now with more courts, it's easier to meet friends after work for a game," she said. While some tennis courts have been replaced by padel facilities, the overall decline in tennis courts is relatively small. The loss accounts for less than 1% of all tennis courts in England, bringing numbers back to levels seen in 2018. Although padel is gaining popularity, tennis courts still outnumber padel courts by a factor of 11 to one. The LTA, which governs both sports, emphasized that participation in tennis has reached record levels in recent years. They credited this to efforts such as refurbishing over 3,000 park tennis courts and expanding youth programs. The LTA also noted that most of the tennis courts displaced by padel were either underused or in poor condition, and that introducing padel has helped attract new players and sustain both sports at community venues. The rise of padel has been most pronounced in northern England, with significant numbers of new courts built in cities like Sheffield, Leeds, and North Yorkshire. Despite its association with more affluent areas and higher costs—some courts charge up to £100 an hour—padel facilities are found in both deprived and wealthy neighborhoods. This is in contrast to tennis courts, which are more commonly located in less deprived areas. The Guardian's analysis of the data highlights that the number of padel courts may continue to change as centers update their records, reflecting the dynamic nature of the sport's growth across England.