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From Acapulco to America: Pádel's Growing Potential in the United States and Beyond

Pádel is a sport unlike any other in the racquet world. Despite showcasing central elements of squash and tennis, pádel stands on its own, boasting superb accessibility and thrilling innovation. The sport’s dynamic and social appeal has captivated the world, and casual enthusiasts and elite performance athletes are already pitching in to unleash its global expansion.

Since its inception in Acapulco, Mexico in 1969, pádel evolved from a niche pastime to a sporting sensation, particularly gaining traction in Spain in the late 1980s. Today, as stated by pádel entrepreneur Marcos Del Pilar, the time is ripe for the sport to become "Americanized."

Along the same line, Del Pilar’s motto of “making a better world through padel” is beginning to flourish. Pádel’s rise has led to it becoming recognized as the “world’s fastest-growing sport.” That being said, pádel has yet to carve out a footprint in the United States.

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Gerardo is the Chief Operating Officer of The Pádel Club Georgetown. In parallel, he serves as a Political Risk Associate with Arko International, where he advises on policy dynamics, commercial risk, and opportunities in the Americas.

Originally from Mexico, Penchyna had a successful junior tennis career, representing Mexico in Junior Davis Cup in 2014 and 2016. He went on to play NCAA Division I tennis at Rice University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.

He is a certified instructor in both yoga and pádel. Currently, he is pursuing a one-year online master’s in Pádel Club Management with the University of Murcia in Spain, in partnership with PadelMBA.

Before relocating to Guyana, Gerardo worked as a policy research analyst in Washington, DC. He holds a master’s degree in Latin American Studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

He is committed to wellness, racquet sports, and the intersection of geopolitics & business.

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Del aislamiento al protagonismo: Guyana y Surinam frente al reto de administrar la abundancia.

Una periferia que deja de serlo.

Durante mucho tiempo, el noreste de Sudamérica —franja atlántica compuesta por Guyana, Surinam con vínculos íntimos al norte de Brasil, Guyana Francesa, y Trinidad y Tobago— fue una periferia rara vez reconocida en los mapas estratégicos del continente. Hoy, sin embargo, el llamado Escudo Guyanés (o Casco Guayanés) emerge como una de las zonas de mayor dinamismo geopolítico, impulsado por descubrimientos petroleros sin precedentes y por su potencial para articular el Caribe Sur con la Amazonia.

Lo que antes fueron economías pequeñas y desconectadas, hoy se perfilan como el núcleo de un nuevo arco energético: un espacio donde el Atlántico se encuentra con la selva y donde la geografía, por fin, podría redefinir el papel del Caribe en el hemisferio.

Este corredor adquiere un peso estratégico creciente. Su desarrollo no solo responde al auge petrolero —liderado por ExxonMobil en Guyana y por inversiones de TotalEnergies y APA Corporation en Surinam—, sino también al surgimiento de nuevos proyectos de energía, transporte y comercio que comienzan a vincular al Caribe con Sudamérica. En un entorno de competencia mundial y tensiones geoeconómicas, Guyana y Surinam se perfilan como actores clave en la reconfiguración del mapa político y energético regional.

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