Teddy Rainer, David Beckham, Amelie Mauresmo, and probably someone in your circle have already tested and approved this racquet sport, halfway between squash and tennis. But why such excitement?
Racket, ball, synthetic field. It’s not tennis or squash, but it looks weird. The name of this hybrid sport. Padel: This activity of Latin origin – not to be confused with paddling (sailing the sea on a board) – is on its way to becoming an important leisure activity in France. The number of interns has tripled in four years, from 80,000 in 2018 to more than 300,000 in 2022, reports Arnaud di Pascual. This former tennis champion speaks with knowledge of the facts. he allowed himself to be caught in the net of padel to the point of becoming an ambassador of the sport for the French Tennis Federation and organizing a major tournament, the Greenweez Paris Premier Padel Major, the first edition of which was held in July 2022. Alongside the second, which concluded on Sunday 10 September at Roland Garros and saw the entry of women into the tournament, a look back at the regenerative success of this new racquet sport.
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Quick learning
The history of padel begins in 1969 in Mexico. Legend has it that businessman Enrique Corcuera wanted to install a tennis court for his children and wife. Lacking space, he would choose to build a smaller plot of land, 20 meters by 10 meters. Everything will be surrounded by walls so that bullets don’t escape too easily. This is how padel is born. The equipment has also been modified. The string racket is replaced by another smaller model made of wood and with small holes to reduce air resistance. As for the rules of the game, nothing could be simpler. served diagonally and with a spoon (below the thigh). After all, to win a match, just like in tennis, you have to win 6 games with two games to spare.
This configuration contributes to the success of the activity; it makes a racquet sport that can be spectacular very easily accessible. For example, players can use walls to return the ball to the opposite side. Said ball is more easily returned to play, making the game more fluid. “The rules of the game are learned very quickly, even among the youngest,” says Arno di Pasquale. From the first game, we have instant fun and very quickly make some pretty spectacular exchanges, which quickly makes us think that we are very good in this field. And when you start a discipline, it’s a really rare feeling.” And it gives results. 60% of players had never touched a tennis racket before trying padel, confirms the FFT ambassador.
Friendly atmosphere
50 years after its invention, the phenomenon is established in Argentina and Spain, where the sport exceeds three million. In France today, the discipline unites more than 630 clubs with more than 1,700 tracks. “Since the 2000s, club investment, media coverage and promotion of the sport, thanks to celebrities such as Cyril Hanuna, Teddy Rainer and Justin Henin, have greatly contributed to the development of activities in the region. And it is far from stopping, we have currently reached a stage when the demand is greater than the supply,” notes the organizer of the Greenweez Paris Premier Padel Major.
Another strength of padel lies in the calmness it exudes. It is played in doubles with four participants. “There’s a team spirit that you don’t find in singles events like tennis or squash. We play “for” and “with” our partner. It’s a little stressful, but above all a lot of fun,” sums up Benjamin Cisternes, manager of the UrbanPadel Nantes Carquefou center.
We quickly make quite spectacular exchanges, which quickly makes us think that we are very good in this field.
Arno Di Pascual, Padel Ambassador at the French Tennis Federation and organizer of the Greenweez Paris Premier Padel Major
The only notable drawback is its cost. The latter varies, but its cost is between 32 and 80 euros for an hour and a half, not forgetting the equipment rental surcharge. If you want to buy a racket, you can count on a minimum of 60 euros for a basic model and up to more than 300 euros for a professional version.
Benefits to the whole body
The many benefits of padel on the body, however, will convince you to try the experience at least once. Jump, run, move forward, go back… The whole body is mobilized during the game. “90% of our muscles are used,” says Dr. Vincent Gillard of the French Tennis Federation. All of these movements help improve our cardiorespiratory capacity, work on balance, better regulate blood sugar and reduce hypertension. Health professionals also recommend discipline for people returning to sports. “Padel has this peculiarity, allowing its player to modulate his efforts, measuring the intensity of his strokes thanks to his racket, which is very easy to control, and to the walls,” he emphasizes.
90% of our muscles are used during play
Vincent Guillard, doctor of the French Tennis Federation
Warming up before hitting the treadmill is highly recommended. “We’ll be thinking especially about stretching your lower limbs, calves and feet, areas that get a lot of activity during exercise and are prone to injury.” Finally, for those who want to improve and hope to reach the level of Juan LeBron, one of the number one in the world, the health professional emphasizes the importance of performing endurance and core exercises at the same time.
Source: Le Figaro
