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An Introduction to Padel

There’s a new sport gaining popularity in recent years throughout Europe, and it’s set to make waves across the world of sport. The racket-bearing game of padel is the game in question which is carving out its own niche amongst other ball and racket sports. Originally created in 1969 in Alpuco, Mexico, the sport has gained huge popularity in Spain where a majority of important ranked matches and tournaments are held. It’s only recently that the sport has begun expanding to the rest of Europe. The UK already has a number of state of the art courts, and the number of them is set to increase within the next few years. A mix of social interaction and action makes it accessible to people of all ages, and already people of all ages are seeing the attraction of the breakout sport.

There are many similarities between Padel and existing racket sports such as squash and tennis, although the core differences make it into the fast-paced and exciting game that it is. The enclosed court on which the game is played is 25% smaller than tennis courts. A smaller court increases the importance of skill and strategy which are the staples of a good padel player, as opposed to just strength and speed. However, the fundamentals of the game should be very familiar making it an easy game to learn how to play. Most games are played in doubles, all you need is a racket.

Rules of the Game

Sharing many similarities to Tennis, for most people padel is a very easy sport to start getting into. Indeed, many of the best padel players in the world right now are ex-tennis players. To start, the balls in padel are quite similar to tennis balls, only that they have less pressure and therefore bounce a little less, and the scoring system of increasing points in 15,30,40 Luv and deuce is also the same. The most notable difference is of course the enclosure around the court and it’s there for a reason. In padel, you can bounce the ball off the back and sidewalls which allows players to get their creative juices flowing when thinking about inventive ways to outmatch their opponent. The walls often mean longer rallies than in tennis and they are won mostly with ingenuity as opposed to brute strength. Lastly: only underarm serves.

The Court

Only slightly smaller than a tennis court, the padel enclosure stands at 20 meters long and 10 meters wide, guarded by glass walls that are 3 meters high on the sides and 4 meters high at the end of the court. Although normally glass, the walls on the side can also be made from concrete. Often, a net or mesh will cover the top of the court to keep balls from leaving the area. In the middle of the court, a 90cm tall net divides the court, with each side being divided vertically by lines for service. Courts can be either indoors or outdoors.

The LTA recently published a report on the future development of padel, looking at what areas of development are needed for the game to thrive. One of the key success factors that were identified concerning padel courts. Ideally, they would be more accessible to the wider population, and state-of-the-art courts should be developed to attract more players. By the year 2023, padel courts are likely to triple. As more and more people pick the sport up, it seems as though Britain is well poised to start gaining notoriety in padel.

The History of Padel

The International Padel Federation was founded in 1991, and the first world championship was held in 1992 in Madrid and Seville. Spain’s Sports Council officially recognized Padel as a sport in 1993 and changed the name to Padel to better match pronunciation in Spanish.

It has been over a decade since the Padel Pro Tour (PPT) was established by professionals, which has since dissolved. Nowadays, the most significant organized competition in the sport is the World Padel Tour (WPT), which, as you might expect, started in Spain, although it is broadcasted internationally. A sharp rise in popularity saw the sport quickly spread to Portugal and then to the UK in the years following the WPT’s foundation.

World Rankings

Padel is played in doubles, so it’s often that pairs will take similar spots in the world ranking in players. Spanish-speaking countries dominate the charts for both men and women in a ranking system that is similar to tennis. Currently, the best players in the sport are: