Padel tennis is a new fun-to-play racket sport in the UK that was pioneered by Huddersfield Lawn Tennis and Squash Club at The Ellesse Padel Academy, a pay-and-play facility open to everyone.
And the Edgerton facility is hosting the fourth tournament in the British Padel Tour this Saturday and Sunday, with some top players demonstrating the game from 10am each day.
Entry to watch is free and Saturday is also the finals day for the Sellers Open Tennis.
Padel is very easy to learn (typically people can enjoy rallies after just 20 minutes free guidance) and that’s why in the last 10 years it has taken off all over Europe and has become the world’s fastest growing sport.
Padel tennis is played like doubles tennis using tennis balls, but in a small enclosed court, which means continuous activity – but with less running and no worries about picking up stray tennis balls.
The Padel racket is close to the player’s body when hitting the ball – which makes it easy to do – and the serve is underarm so also very simple.
Long-term tennis player Peter Vann says: “This game doesn’t require power and technique like tennis (or squash), so as a beginner it’s much more about a way of having fun with three of your friends, keeping fit and increasing your mobility.”
He added: “when four people get on a court it’s never long before you hear laughter, which is why padel tennis has become the female social sport of choice in Europe, due to its friendly get-together nature.”Four beginners can play for an hour and have a proper good giggle.”
Just three years after Huddersfield and EPA opened the first public courts in the UK, there are now 10 clubs established – the most recent one opened three weeks ago in Edinburgh.
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