What is Padel Tennis?

It looks a bit like a beach bat and ball game, but padel (pronounced paddle) tennis, this summer's fitness hit, has properly sporty credentials. Played with a paddle that looks suspiciously like the bat from a garden Swingball set, and with balls that look and feel similar to tennis balls but are slightly smaller and "depressurised" to be less bouncy, it is billed as a fun fusion of tennis and squash and is designed to be accessible to all.

As it continues to gather momentum and more people pick up a bat to give padel a go, there are several famous faces who have shown their love for padel. Among its fans are Andy Murray, David Beckham, “it’s a sport that I got hooked in very suddenly. I train and have fun at the same time, it’s fantastic”. Tennis legend Andy Murray has invested in the sport and sees the potential for huge growth for years to come and his brother Jamie plays padel saying “it’s a very social sport that can be played with friends and family of all ages and abilities”.

Its popularity in Europe is growing swiftly. In Spain, where there are five million padel players, it overtook tennis to become the country's second biggest participation sport after football. There are an estimated 89,000 players in the UK and with a concerted push from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), the sport's governing body, the number of UK courts has risen from 40 courts in 2019 to about 165 at 66 locations. Tom Murray, the head of padel development at the LTA, says that the target is 400 courts around the country by 2023. "The demand for courts is huge, he says. "In 2022, our aim is to add another 100 courts."

If you haven't tried it yet, it will soon be hard to avoid. "Participation in padel, which is very equal among males and females, is rapidly rising," Murray says. "We hope that integrating padel into venues will encourage people to give it a try." There are busy public courts in Regent's Park and Hyde Park in London as well as other parks and leisure centres around the UK.

A court measures 10m by 20m, about a third smaller than a standard tennis court, and is enclosed. As in squash, balls can be bounced off the walls to create long, fast rallies so that you are constantly on the go, working up a sweat. The rule is to serve below waist level and not overhead, it immediately feels easier to get into the flow of a game.

Fitness-wise, all that running provides a big cardiovascular boost. You will burn between 200 and 300 calories in 30 minutes, comparable to tennis and squash.

You can try padel with Neilson at Levante Beach Beachclubsin Greece. We have seen a great interest in the padel courts and are pleased to see it become a great new addition to the tennis programme. Organised padel sessions with one of our coaches are included in the cost of your holiday.