The rise of padel: All you need to know about SA’s newest sport

At first glance, padel looks something like a cross between tennis and squash, but despite the similarities it shares with those codes, it is entirely its own sport. And after being introduced to South Africa in recent years, its popularity is growing fast.

Challenging, entertaining and competitive, it might seem a little foreign at first as it is one of the newest sports to be played in SA, but it is easy enough to understand the rules and there are facilities which have been built in every province, making it easily accessible.

We take a closer look at what it is, where it’s from and how it’s played.

Who invented it?

Padel was first played in Mexico in the 1960s, as the brainchild of Enrique Corcuera who adapted the squash court at his home in Acapulco and decided on the initial rules, which have since been tweaked and refined.

By the mid-1970s, courts were being built at sport clubs in Mexico and the code has since spread across the world.

Very popular in South America, it is also growing in popularity in Europe and Asia, and it is now being played both socially and competitively in South Africa.

How is it played?

Unlike other popular racquet sports, padel is not an individual code and is contested as a doubles game, with two players on each side of the court.

It is played in a transparent rectangular box with no roof (10 metres in width and 20m in length), with four walls made from tempered glass and an artificial surface which is usually blue.

While the rules are essentially the same as tennis, the ball can be hit off the walls and kept in play, adding a unique dimension to the game.

What equipment is used?

Unlike tennis and squash, padel racquets are solid and do not have any strings.

The ball that is used is similar to a tennis ball, and the only real difference is that they are not as pressurised, making them a little softer.

Specialist padel shoes are made by most major footwear brands and they can be found at major retail outlets or bought online.

How competitive is it?

Though it is still a growing sport, both locally and globally, there are competitions held across a range of levels.

At the highest level of the game, this year’s Premier Padel league will feature eight international tournaments played in Europe and South America. There are also international rankings which are used to rate the world’s best players.

Locally, there is not yet a fully recognised structure to support the sport and it is not listed as an affiliate of the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee. As things stand, the only African countries where the International Padel Federation recognises official national bodies are Egypt and Senegal.

While it remains a largely social sport in SA, however, domestic tournaments are already being played and the elite side of the game is becoming more competitive.

Where can you play?

Since the first courts were built in South Africa less than three years ago, hundreds of facilities have been put up around South Africa.

If you want to find the closest court to you, book a game or be linked with a playing partner, this can be done through the Playtomic app which connects millions of padel players around the world.