News DeskDoha, Qatar – Premier Padel, the world’s leading official professional padel tour, owned by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), has unveiled a one-of-a-kind padel court conceived as a work of art during the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar, in collaboration with French artist Sébastien Boileau, known professionally as Mr. D 1987.
Commissioned specifically for Art Basel Qatar, using a court provided by Premier Padel’s official court partner MejorSet, the project reimagines the padel court as a cultural expression, blending contemporary art, movement and urban identity. The visual design draws inspiration from the illuminated Doha skyline at night, extending the artwork beyond the playing surface onto the surrounding glass and structures.
The official inauguration brought together leading figures from art, culture, sport and the creative industries, including Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, Chairman of Qatar Sports Investments and Premier Padel, football legend David Beckham, President of the FIP Luigi Carraro, Chairman and Group CEO of MCH Group Andrea Zappia, CEO of Art Basel Noah Horowitz and Chief Artistic Officer of Art Fairs Vincenzo de Bellis, alongside senior representatives from Premier Padel and the Art Basel ecosystem.
Designed to be both experienced and played-on, the installation will be open to the public throughout the activation period, with bookings available via Playtomic. This approach reinforces padel’s accessibility and its strong connection with participation and community engagement.
Sébastien Boileau, Mr. D 1987, said “The main inspiration was Doha and its beautiful skyline, with its electric energy, impressive lighting and rich colors. I love color, and that became the driving force behind the design. I wanted the experience to be about playing padel on top of an artwork, creating something powerful, energetic and unforgettable.”
Beyond Art Basel Qatar, the project has been conceived with a clear social legacy. Following the event, the installation will be gifted to the Shafallah Center for Persons with Disabilities, a leading non-profit organisation in Qatar working under the umbrella of Qatar Foundation for Social Work, dedicated to providing comprehensive services for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder from birth to below 21 years of age.
Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, Chairman of Qatar Sports Investments and Premier Padel, said: “Bringing sport and art together is an amazing way of uniting people and cultures. By transforming a padel court into a work of art, we are inviting people to engage with the sport in a new and inspiring way, reflecting energy and creativity shared by Art Basel, QSI and Premier Padel. We always want to do things differently at QSI; being bold, innovating and attracting new audiences – and this is a great example of that mindset, in partnership with the world-renowned Art Basel.”
This initiative sits within Premier Padel’s broader approach to inclusion, accessibility and social impact, using sport as a way to engage with local communities.
