The spectacular impact padel has had in recent years shows why more people are starting to play the racquet sport. Many sports people have taken to this court-based game more than tennis. There are currently more than 4,000 padel clubs and10 million players worldwide, with no sign of slowing down.
Padel is a dynamic and fun sport – much like tennis – invented in Mexico in the ’60s. Padel rules slightly differ from Tennis, which you can see more at elitepadel.com. The rules may explain why celebrities like Neymar, Jay Shetty, and even David Beckham love playing and promoting the sport.
This social sport has birthed several non-federal championships, leagues, and championships created for different categories. It is one of the only sports that is accessible and can be played by any person, beginner or veteran. There is no age hindrance or limit when it comes to playing padel.
Why do people love playing padel?
Here’s why more people are starting to play padel instead of tennis:
Padel is easy to learn
The number one reason many people turn to padel and dump tennis is that the sport is easy to learn. It is simple and fun as people from all age categories or classes can play and enjoy the sport.
The technique of playing padel is not as complicated as that of tennis. This is why padel is more beginner-friendly. Newbies can quickly get the hang of the game, especially when they rally with a veteran.
Moving to the next level when playing padel is somewhat challenging. But beginners can easily learn the perfect techniques of a few specific shots.
Moreover, you don’t even have to know all the rules of the sport by rote. You can visit a padel court and have fun, even if you have never held a racquet.
Beginners learning how to play tennis usually find it much more challenging. This is why padel is a big favorite for first-time players.
It is a social sport
Padel has a social aspect that increasingly makes the sport popular. Players of this racquet game get to meet many different individuals from all walks of life. This includes celebrities like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Novak Djokovic, Jurgen Klopp, Bradley Walsh, etc.! These are celebs you may never have had the opportunity to meet on a normal day.
Padel is a sport that must be played in doubles. This is why it is common for people to join padel clubs. Every time you play this sport, you play against three other individuals.
Imaging playing up to 30 times a day with different individuals. That means you would have met at least 90 new people who know and call you by your first name.
Padel courts are also smaller, practically forcing all players to get closer to one another. Mix-ins and tournaments also get players speaking to each other from time to time. This ends up fostering friendships or relationships that may last a lifetime.
Padel is good for you
There is no age limit to playing padel. Whether you are ten years old or seventy, you can grab a racquet and hit a padel court for some exercise.
Padel does a lot of good for the human body. It is the sport to turn to if you need to exercise your knees, shoulders, and elbow. You can also wave goodbye to tennis elbow strains when you play padel because hitting the ball requires fewer vibrations and ultimately less strain on your good arm.
It is not as physically demanding as other sports.
People are turning more to padel than to tennis because the former is not too physically demanding. Physical fitness trainers consider padel an excellent aerobic workout. This is because the racquet sport does not burden your body like tennis, badminton, etc.
The risk of injuries when playing padel is relatively small. This is the primary reason old folks dumped tennis for padel. You can always increase your training intensity if you decide to push your body a little further.
But all in all, padel is not as physically demanding as other well-known racquet sports.
Padel is unique
Tennis shares the rules as well as its scoring system with padel. However, this court game’s concept is somewhat different.
For instance, players are permitted to use the glass walls that surround the court. They can return the ball and continue playing the point. The concept for players to continue playing the point even after the ball hits a glass wall gives padel a different meaning.
Low cost of equipment
Getting equipped to play padel is not as expensive as doing the same for lawn tennis. Moreover, the amount you pay to rent a tennis court is practically the same as a padel court.
However, there is a significant difference in the number of players. Four people usually play padel on the court. Therefore, the cost of rent per player is far lower compared to tennis.
Padel courts are smaller in terms of dimensions than tennis courts. This implies that less space is required for constructing a padel court. These smaller dimensions of padel courts significantly reduce the quantity and price of required materials for construction.
Padel pushes you to become better mentally and physically
Padel is incredibly addictive, primarily due to the number of players that plays the sport. Getting games is relatively easy, making you strive to improve each time you play.
When you keep playing padel, you make mistakes, learn lessons, and engage in several tournaments. This helps you improve significantly as you learn to take constructive criticisms in stride.
You become more physically fit as you keep pushing and striving to be the best at the sport. You learn how to react swiftly and constantly concentrate on the points, and the game goes incredibly fast.
Conclusion
Padel is progressively popular because of its simplicity, ease of play, and how thrilling or exciting it is. It is a social game that fosters camaraderie among new and veteran players. Even retired tennis players and celebrities have taken to the sport like ants to spilt sugar.
If you have never played something similar, consider getting equipped, find a court nearby and play padel!
