Ever heard of Padel?

I just wanted to share with whoever might be interested my new sporting passion. Padel is a tennis-based sport that's huge here in Spain and popular throughout Latin America. I've got into it because there's a court just opened in a neighbouring village and a friend invited me to a game. It's totally addictive and perfect for someone like me who used to play a lot of ordinary tennis but isn't quite as physically fit as I once was. I'm still fairly agile but can't cover as much court as I did in my twenties.

Padel is played on a boxed-in court half the size of a tennis court. It's a kind of cross between tennis and squash; you play off the side and back walls, but across a normal height tennis net. It's fantastic exercise and a totally absorbing game. If there's a Padel court near you, have a go, because if you think your tennis days are behind you, this will give you a huge new buzz.

Of course, I'm playing at a beginner's level, making lots of mistakes and struggling to adapt to using walls, but I haven't been so excited about playing sport since I got into serious mountain trekking 15 years ago.

If you've no idea what I'm talking about, check out a bit of this video of the 2014 Padel World Championship Final. This is as good as it gets, but man! don't tell me this isn't a mind-blowingly skilful and exciting sport.

I hope you enjoy it.

Never heard of it Andy. Looks like something that could still keep you pretty fit! It's a little like squash but with a net.

Looks pretty intense.

Serenity said:

Never heard of it Andy. Looks like something that could still keep you pretty fit! It's a little like squash but with a net.

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I'm playing three times a week at the moment, and I'm feeling the benefit.

It's much more like tennis than squash. I've never played squash, but friends tell me that. If you come to it from a tennis background it is the squash-y element of playing off the side and back wall that takes most getting used to. Coming from squash I hear that the difficult bit is keeping a strong wrist when your instinct is to flick balls over the net.

Higgins86 said:

Looks pretty intense.

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It is! Mind you, that YT clip shows the Federers and Djokovic's of the sport. The way we play is much, much more sedate, but for a fat old twat like me that's still quite punishing.

I've heard that it is starting to catch on in the UK and US. There are about a dozen Padel clubs listed in the UK. You're to the south of London, aren't you Higgins? I think there's a club in Weybridge.

It's just started to catch on in Australia too, I believe Serenity. Check it out.

Andalublue said:

I'm playing three times a week at the moment, and I'm feeling the benefit.

It's much more like tennis than squash. I've never played squash, but friends tell me that. If you come to it from a tennis background it is the squash-y element of playing off the side and back wall that takes most getting used to. Coming from squash I hear that the difficult bit is keeping a strong wrist when your instinct is to flick balls over the net.

It is! Mind you, that YT clip shows the Federers and Djokovic's of the sport. The way we play is much, much more sedate, but for a fat old twat like me that's still quite punishing.

I've heard that it is starting to catch on in the UK and US. There are about a dozen Padel clubs listed in the UK. You're to the south of London, aren't you Higgins? I think there's a club in Weybridge.

It's just started to catch on in Australia too, I believe Serenity. Check it out.

Click to expand...

Yeh I'm in Woking so maybe I will check it out. I love Squash and tennis so I imagine I will enjoy this as well.