British number one Jack Draper has joined a growing chorus of opposition against Glasgow City Council’s proposal to convert two of the eight indoor tennis courts at Scotstoun Leisure Centre into padel courts. Draper, along with fellow professionals Jacob Fearnley, Maia Lumsden, and coach Jonny O’Mara, signed a letter urging Glasgow Life to reconsider the move.
“Young players depend on purpose-built, high-quality tennis venues like Scotstoun which offer the perfect environment for them to develop their games,” the letter states.
Governing Bodies Warn of Long-Term Impact
Tennis Scotland, the governing body for both tennis and padel in the region, has voiced strong concerns over the plan. Chief executive Blane Dodds warned that the loss of courts could jeopardize the future of tour-level events hosted at Scotstoun, including ATP Challenger and ITF World Tennis Tour competitions held annually in February and October.
“Removing indoor courts is counter to this national strategy,” Dodds wrote, referencing the broader goal of increasing community-accessible tennis facilities across Scotland.
Dodds also estimated a financial loss of approximately £60,000 to the city if the padel conversion proceeds, factoring in court rental, local spending, and accommodation revenue.
Compatibility Concerns Between Sports
While acknowledging padel’s rapid growth—with over 30 million players worldwide—Tennis Scotland maintains that the sport is not compatible with tennis in shared environments. The organization argues that player development programs require dedicated space and that no evidence supports the feasibility of cohabiting facilities.
“We have the greatest respect for padel, however… the two sports are not compatible in a shared space where player development programmes are considered key,” the players’ letter states.
Alternative Proposal for Padel Expansion
To preserve the existing tennis infrastructure, Tennis Scotland and its partners have offered an interest-free loan to build a separate four-court padel facility on the grounds of Scotstoun. The governing body believes the loan could be repaid within three years, allowing both sports to thrive independently without compromising each other’s growth.
Jack Draper in 2025
Now ranked no.9, the Brit played his last match on the 25th of August when he defeated world no.203 Federico Agustin Gomez 6-4 7-5 6-7(7) 6-2 in the 1st round of the U.S. Open (draw).
Presently, during this year Jack owns a composed 30-9 record. This year, the Brit won 1 title in Indian Wells. Draper was the runner-up in Doha and Madrid.
He is also scheduled to play in Paris (Rolex Paris Masters). The main draw will start on the 27th of October.