Sport focus: The rising sport of padel
One of the three courts inside the West Of Scotland Padel Club
By Jack Meney
In Scotland, sports like tennis, squash and badminton have always been popular but it is the new sport of padel that is taking the UK by storm. The sport which found its popularity in Spain has been described as somewhat of a combination between tennis and squash. Clubs are emerging across Scotland with hopes that as the sport grows, world class stars will be created, just like Andy Murray.
A game normally played in doubles, on a court that is surrounded by 4 walls which can be used in play, shares similarities to tennis in the way that you play a ball over a net, with it bouncing once on the other side but the squash element comes in as you have a wall behind you and beside you that you can play off keeping the ball in play.
The sport now finds itself with 30 million players, worldwide and that number will keep growing. It is outstanding how popular padel is considering it was only invented by a married couple in 1969.
When playing, the ball can bounce off the walls after hitting the ground. This is one of the main differences to tennis as the ball can go past you and you still have a good chance of returning the shot.
Unlike Tennis, when serving, an under-arm shot is played, and the ball is slightly smaller than those played with in tennis. The creator of the sport said that the game requires you to place the ball gently and requires a great amount of technique, athleticism and strategy.
The sport is rising in popularity in Scotland, with many clubs trying hard to draw eyes to the sport. One Club which is doing this is the West of Scotland Padel Club (WOSP). The club is based in Stevenston, Ayrshire and is completely indoors which means members can play all year round.
The West Of Scotland Padel Building (Stevenston)
With the sport growing in popularity, many are wondering what it is all about and why they should start playing. Board member and the person in charge of the club's social media platforms, Andy Graham, said: “Padel, because the way the court is built, is perfect for all ages and would get unfit people fitter, without a doubt. Jamie Murray is quoted as saying that he can play padel with his dad but not tennis, purely because of the way the ball stays in play.
“The benefits of playing padel include fitness, the social aspect of meeting new people and the way the game is played means it is suitable for young and old, talented players and beginners.
WOSP board member Andy Graham Playing in a match
“My own Impact from padel as a retired person is that I now go out the house far more often than I used to. I have lost half a stone in weight and has introduced me to people who have become friends.”
The sport is being seen by lots of new people because sports people and social media stars that are very influential, are now playing. Padel finds itself being played by footballers such as Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Beckam. Ex-tennis stars like Rafa Nadal and Serena Williams also play.
The Stick to Football podcast, featuring ex-premier league footballers, also talked about it during the Euros which draws lots of eyes to the sport.
There has been a lot of recent speculation about whether padel will feature in the 2032 Olympics. A move like this would be revolutionary for this rising sport as the Olympics is the biggest stage in all of sport, everyone would be watching.
Graham said: “The Olympics having Padel would make it much more widely known to the man in the street. Some people at the moment only know of the sport because of a few celebrities like Jason Manford who plays and posts about it on their social media. Being on mainstream TV would let it be known to a far bigger audience.”
Jason Manford hosting a padel tournament in Manchester (by Mark McNulty via Gettyimages)
Clubs around Scotland are trying their hardest to make the sport bigger and more popular. WOSP are doing the same, Graham Said: “We are promoting the sport via a heavy social media presence and have leaflets up in sport venues in the region. We also host tournaments regularly where it is free for anyone to come in and watch some of the best players in the country.”
WOSP has attracted former sports people and are always looking for new members. They also run youth programmes, to encourage the youth of today to join in and play this exciting new sport.