What is Padel?
Padel is a vibrant, social game filled with energy. The fastest growing racquet sport ever is currently dominating Europe and is now set to disrupt the UK sports industry. This fast growth is fuelled by the ease of play and accessibility, whilst being a doubles game makes padel a truly addictive social activity. The post-match socialising is likely to be just as enjoyable as the game itself.
The rules
Padel requires two teams of two players (doubles). The game begins by an underarm serve, diagonally into the opposite corner on the oppositions side. When the player takes a serve, the ball must bounce once on the floor then hit from below, or at, waist height.
The aim is to score more points than the opposing team. Points are won if:
- The ball bounces twice.
- If the ball strikes any player.
- Or the ball hits the wall or fixture before going over the net, or into the opponents’ half of the court.
The match
Similar to tennis scoring, matches are played in 3 sets of 6 games. To win the game, a team must win 2 of the 3 sets. The games points are awarded as follows: 15, 30, 40 and game. If there is a tie on 40 - 40 then this is called deuce. In some tournaments a ‘golden point’ is played, meaning the next point takes the game.
Would Padel be a sport for you? Why would it, or why not? Let us know in the comments!
I think padel has grown so much in the past years due to the accessibility of the game compared to other racquets sports such as tennis, which requires much more skill that padel do.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right Xavi! You can play rally's quite fast and keep growing within the sport to a very high level if you want.
Deletegood afternoon!
ReplyDeleteThis description about padel is very interesting, but I have some doubts... Is there any regulation or rule about the type of rackets? Do they have to have certain characteristics?
Thanks!
Hi Alex, there are many types of rackets. For example, light weight rackets are more for beginners, women and children, and some heavier weight rackets for pro's. This one gives you more power. So it is up to you which one you want to choose.
DeleteAt the same time, a part from the difference of padel rackets for beginners and pro's, in the rackets of pro's there is also a big variety of rackets. There are pro's that want to control more the ball, so the weight of the racket will be more in the center on in the grip. And there there are the other pro's, who want a racket to attack more, so the weight is going to be more in the tip of the racket.
DeleteGood afternoon,
ReplyDeleteI believe Padel is such an underrated sport, and should be treated with more respect in the sporting world. Do you believe it can reach the popularity of tennis in the future or has it reached its peak?
Hope to hear from you
Hi Mateo, thanks for your reaction! I agree with you. In Spain the sport already is much bigger than other European countries, but I think it has the potential to get bigger on a recreational level. Almost everyone can play it and you barely get injured.
DeleteWell, reading this article I've seen what I like to see that is people talking facts. I think that padel is going to be one of the most played sports in the future, it's defenetly a sport for everyone. You have a great time with friends without knowing thta mch about the sport. It's getting bigger and bigger every day.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Max. Do you think it is a sport that will get a lot of viewers on tv aswell?
DeleteI totally agree with this article, and as a fan of paddle tennis I also think that the growth and exploitation that it is having is incredible.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a game that has incredible potential and that little by little it will become one of the most practiced sports in the world.
Do you think that economically it would be good to invest now since it has not yet reached its maximum potential?
Hello Jordi,
DeleteRegarding your question about whether it is a good time to invest in paddle. From my point of view, it is a good time to invest in, for example, making a paddle club, because only making 6 paddle tennis courts for €25,000 each, if they are in a good location, they can be amortized in 6 years, for Therefore, as of year 6, all income is net profit, deducting salaries and maintenance.
Hi Jordi and Gerard, interesting to talk about the investing opportunities. I could be a very good business where you can handle different business models aswell (subscription, pay per use etc).
DeleteDo you ever think that padel can be at the level of tennis or basketball in terms of views?
ReplyDeleteHi Ricard, good question. When looking to how fast it's growing I think it got the potential, but it also can be a trend. Would you like to see it as big as tennis or basketball?
DeleteAs my colleagues have said, padel is a sport that in recent years has had a very big explosion among young and old alike. It is a very entertaining sport but personally I think that padel is not treated as it should be, do you think it can become part of the olympic games?
ReplyDeleteHi Alex, I think the question we must ask ourselves is not if, but when it's going to be a part of the olympic games? Looking to the growth and viewers it will bring in the future also for the Olympics.
DeleteDo you think that padel can be in the olympics some day?
ReplyDeleteGood question Xavier, like Alex asked aswell. Personally I think it will be a matter of time, the only thing is that it's not growing that quickly in the USA compared to European countries at the moment. Do you think that will be a issue for the sport to be in olympics?
DeleteI totally agree with the article. But I have a question: ¿Are the same the courts of the competitions as the world padel tour that are blue than the green ones?
ReplyDeleteAs the ones we can see in the pictures
Thanks!!
The official World Padel Tour courts all are blue, because they've got an agreement with one supplier called Mondo.
DeleteI totally agree that Padel is a social sport. I think this is due to the fact that by playing this sport you end up meeting a lot of new people, making new friends and seeing old friends again. It's amazing, and on top of that it's healthy. Don't you think so?
ReplyDeleteI think you're right Sergi. People don't talk often enough about the social aspect, I think the sport is also interesting for example for business partners to play sometimes instead of Golf.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteDuring the course of the game, if a player accidentally breaks the paddle. Could he/she continue playing with the paddle in that condition? Is a player allowed to use more than one paddle in the same match?
They're only allow to change their racket during a match when it's so damaged that they can't play further with the racket.
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteIm a padel fan and I obviously consider it a sport as it involves many things that other sports have. Competitiveness, team work, physical activity, training for it, respect for the rules.
I find it a specially entertaining sport, do you think it will continue growing?
Hi Raul, good to hear that you like Padel that much! Reading all the enthousiasm about the sport in all the other reactions aswell, I think it has all the ingredients to grow to a sport as big as Tennis. But... time will learn.
DeletePadel is a great sport. Especially for me, that I've been playing tennis my whole life, playing padel is much easier for me to learn than many other people. It's a sport where you don't have to train as much as for tennis, with a lower level it's a much more fun game than tennis. At the the same time it's not a very physical sport where you don't have to be in a great shape to have fun or play a good level. Am I right?
ReplyDeletePadel is without a doubt a sport that I love. I think it has the emotion in every moment that football, for example, doesn't have and it will definitely grow a lot.
ReplyDeleteReally amazing sport that is attracting lot of people from all the ages and from all the world.
ReplyDeleteWow, I think padel is a modern sport and a lot of fun and quite easy to learn.
ReplyDelete