The Joy of Padel podcast with Pedro Plantier (JOPS04E13)
On this episode of the JOY OF PADEL podcast, I had the great pleasure of talking with Pedro Plantier, a true padel pioneer and the mastermind behind the innovative Cork racquets. This conversation wasn’t just about equipment—it was a journey through Pedro Plantier’s sporting life, the evolution of padel in Portugal, and the ingenuity needed to build a standout brand in the ultra-competitive padel market.
Background on Pedro Plantier
Pedro Plantier has been passionate about sport since his childhood. Having started out as a professional tennis player—with time spent studying in England—he eventually fell headlong for padel after moving to Portugal. It wasn’t an entirely smooth start: in his first session, he broke five racquets! But the magic happened after Pedro Plantier discovered the game at the World Championships in Murcia, Spain in 2006. That was his “game-changing” moment. From there, he ditched the corporate world and went all in on developing padel in Portugal—opening courts, coaching, and eventually launching the Cork brand with a small team of like-minded, innovative partners.
Main Topics Covered
The conversation focused on Pedro Plantier’s journey from tennis to padel, including the struggle tennis players face rewiring their instincts and the “click” that finally made defending off the back wall make sense for him. One concept discussed was how padel’s accessibility and fun create communities where both amateur and top-level players—no matter their age or athleticism—can compete and thrive.
A key theme that emerged was the need for innovation in padel equipment. Pedro Plantier revealed how persistent issues with elbow injuries led to the pursuit of a softer, vibration-dampening racquet with Cork. The discussion explored the painstaking process of prototyping, sourcing unique materials like cork and Inegra, and the constant drive to make racquets that are both high-performance and eco-friendly. Several points were raised, including the changing business models in padel clubs, the importance of social experiences around the sport, and Portugal’s dreams to compete with the big hitters in Spain and Argentina.
Three Takeaways from My Conversation with Pedro Plantier
- Transitioning to padel demands true humility and patience—even seasoned tennis pros must “relearn” how to move, defend, and use the walls. But the moment it clicks, the game opens up beautifully.
- Innovation is born from real-world problems. Pedro Plantier and his partners created Cork to solve the widespread pain of elbow injuries and soon discovered that sustainability and Portuguese craftsmanship could distinguish them in a crowded market.
- The magic of padel isn’t just in the shots—it’s in the community. From clubs that double as social hubs to racquets that tell a story, padel’s joy is as much about people and connection as it is about competition.
Whether you’re searching for a racquet that soothes your elbow or dreaming about your next match, Pedro Plantier’s story is a testament to passion, perseverance, and the endless possibilities that padel brings. Ready for more insights? Listen to the full JOY OF PADEL episode and discover why so many are falling in love with the game—and with Cork’s one-of-a-kind racquets.
To find out more about Pedro Plantier & Cork:
- Check out Cork Padel and explore Pedro Plantier’s racquets at corkpadel.com
- Find/follow Cork Padel on Instagram
- Find/follow Cork Padel on X (formerly Twitter) (Dutch account!)
To listen to the show:
To listen to The Joy of Padel podcast, you can use the embedded player above, or go find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or any number of other podcasting services listed here.
Send in your questions or reactions: Please send me your questions — as an audio file if you’d like — to nminterdial@gmail.com. Otherwise, below, you’ll find the show notes and, of course, you are invited to comment. If you liked the podcast, please take a moment to review and/or rate it! ¡VAMOS!
Further resources for The Joy of Padel:
The Joy of Padel podcast, hosted by Minter Dial, a padel tennis player since 1974, is an exhilarating show that delves into the captivating stories of notable padel personalities worldwide.
Meanwhile, you can find Minter's other Evergreen podcasts, entitled The Minter Dialogue Show (in English and French) in this podcast tab, on Spotify, Megaphone or via Apple Podcasts.
About the host: Minter Dial
Minter Dial is an international professional speaker, author & consultant on Leadership, Branding and Transformation. His involvement in sports has been a lifetime passion. Besides playing 18 years of rugby, captaining athletics teams, coaching tennis and playing squash for his university, he’s been a lifelong player of padel tennis, starting at the age of 10, from the time of its very first public courts at the Marbella Club in 1974.
Then, after a successful international career at L’Oréal, Minter Dial returned to his entrepreneurial roots and has spent the last twelve years helping senior management teams and Boards to adapt to the new exigencies of the digitally enhanced marketplace. He has worked with world-class organisations to help activate their brand strategies, and figure out how best to integrate new technologies, digital tools, devices and platforms. Above all, Minter works to catalyse a change in mindset and dial up transformation. Minter received his BA in Trilingual Literature from Yale University (1987) and gained his MBA at INSEAD, Fontainebleau (1993). He’s author of four award-winning books, including Heartificial Empathy 2nd edition (2023), You Lead (Kogan Page 2021), co-author of Futureproof (Pearson 2017); and author of The Last Ring Home (Myndset Press 2016), a book and documentary film, both of which have won awards and critical acclaim.
It’s easy to inquire about booking Minter Dial here.
Full transcript of interview via CastMagic
This transcription comes courtesy of Castmagic.io an AI service for podcasters.
TEXTOFTRANSCRIPT
