Racquet Sport Report presented by adidas Pickleball: September/October 2023
There are an array of paddle and racquet sports that continue to take off in popularity across the country and throughout the world. Many people have turned to these sports either in replace of or in addition to tennis, and either way, this boom continually welcomes in new players.
One of those sports is Padel, a racquet sport that originated in Acapulco, Mexico. Typically played in doubles format, it’s court is an enclosed one that is a bit smaller than a regular doubles tennis court.
The scoring is the same as tennis, but that’s about where the similarities end. The rules, strokes and technique are different, and the balls are less pressurized. Because the court is enclosed, balls are able to be played off the walls, which makes for some fast and intense points being played.
Padel is played across 90 different countries globally, and is taking off here in the United States. Estimates say there will be over 200 courts here in the United States by the end of this year, a massive jump from the just 50 that existed a couple of years ago. The amount of clubs opening and building courts grows every day, and a pro league, the PPA, has even been formed.
A huge ambassador of padel is tennis great Andy Murray, who has invested money into a United Kingdom-based company, and he has been outspoken on the appeal of padel.
“There’s obviously a bit of crossover to tennis. But it’s probably a little bit easier, a bit more forgiving on the body,” he said. “But it’s probably a little bit easier, a bit more forgiving on the body. But it’s fun, it’s competitive, it’s good exercise. It’s a great game to play socially. I believe it is a better game to play than pickleball, which I know everyone is trying now.”
Right here in New York City we have seen the game take off, with Padel Haus opening, a dedicated padel complex in Brooklyn. As we move towards the end of the year and more courts continue to become available nationwide, padel could very well start to see the boom that pickleball has had in recent years.
