Hotline
Serena Williams is at it; Andy Murray, too. And no, we’re not talking tennis, but the world’s fastest-growing sport, padel.
Strapline
Repeat after us: ‘Padel like paddle, not like pad-elle.’
Battle line
The sport is actually called ‘padel tennis’, as it’s a lot like that racket sport in terms of scoring. But there are several crucial differences. First, padel is invariably played in pairs rather than singles, introducing a more social element (90 per cent of courts in the world are doubles-specific). Second, the court is smaller and tightly enclosed, much like squash – less time losing balls, more time thwacking shots at each other.
Start line
Padel is instantly addictive, says The Psychology Insider – easier to learn than tennis, and faster, so your dopamine and endorphins are firing like mad from the start.
Four can play that game: Padel is almost always a doubles affair
Baseline
The court has what are called rebound ends (usually of toughened glass) and walls of firm rebound mesh and/or glass along the sides. The ball can bounce and hit the wall only once on your side of the net before you return it. Scoring is organised into sets and games (to win a set, you must win six games and be leading by a clear two).
Get in line
When London’s Battersea Park recently announced free introductory sessions at its new padel facility, slots were booked solid. (Weekend sessions are still chocker, despite costing £32 an hour.) Luckily, padel courts are appearing all over the UK. Between 2022 and 2023 more than 250 sprang up across the country – there are now more than 400.
In Leeds, a Grade II listed railway engine shed is being converted, while Manchester is building a £2.5million complex dedicated to the sport.
Go for the burn: You can expend up to 1,000 calories in a session
Credit line
Unsurprisingly, international investors are flocking to padel, including several famous faces. Andy Murray backs Game4Padel, which is bringing the sport to Westfield London, and Cristiano Ronaldo has put money into a giant facility in Lisbon.
Buy line
The outlay? An Adidas Metalbone racket will set you back at least £340, although look for special offers at tennispoint.co.uk – you’ll find them priced from a much more reasonable £37. Some courts offer equipment hire (check when you book).
Beeline
It’s not just swarming with pro athletes – famous faces such as Hugh Grant, Shakira and Pippa Middleton are also game.
Story line
Padel may be all the rage, but it’s not new: tennis-obsessed businessman Enrique Corcuera invented it in Mexico in the 1960s. The poor chap only had room at home for a squash court, not a tennis court, so he devised a hybrid instead.
Noble line
A friend of Corcuera’s, Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe, has been referred to as the grandfather of padel for bringing it to Spain in the 1970s and opening courts at the Marbella Club hotel. It’s now hailed as the country’s second most popular sport after football.
Closer to home, the UK’s hot new Estelle Manor hotel in Oxfordshire is a hub, having gone for padel rather than tennis courts.
Hardline
Padel is great fun but don’t forget it’s also a workout – according to Women’s Health you can burn between 700 and 1,000 calories a session, with particular benefits for the glutes and legs. The underarm serves and smaller courts are said to make it easier for older players.
Dotted line
Keen to sign up? Visit lta.org.uk/play for a map of courts and information on how to start playing padel.
Next week Topline Wellness: Great teeth