Padel Tennis
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
Padel tennis is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, due to its basic skill level and its social nature.
A shorter racket, a smaller court and an underarm serve characterise this sport, which is usually played in doubles on an enclosed court, where balls can be played off the walls.
Its rise in popularity has been helped by influencers and celebrity players, such as the English Ghanaian rapper and singer-songwriter ‘Stormzy’.
However, as demand for this sport grows, the number of venues is not keeping up with the demand, whereas the cost of playing is.
It appears that the average off-peak court hire in the United Kingdom costs about £30 (around €36), but peak time prices can reach as high as £80 (around €95) at some venues.
According to the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), responsible for the sport in the UK, there are currently around 800 padel courts, for more than 400,000 players, and the LTA has launched a new five-year strategy to work with local authorities to build more courts.
In Spain, where Padel started as a premium elitist sport, it is now second to football in participation and popularity.
In fact, Madrid will host this year's Euro Padel Cup in July, with a record 40 nations expected to take part.
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
