Who is playing Padel?

But we had expected, I think, that the vast majority of squash and tennis players would know about Padel.  And whilst many do, there is still a good proportion of players of those sports that not only haven’t ever played Padel, but actually haven’t even heard of the sport.  And given that Padel’s natural birth parents are the union of Squash and tennis, that is all the more odd.

But that is also incredibly exciting.  In a sporting context imagine being at the start of a sport like tennis, golf or cricket in a country, just before it lifts off and becomes a permanent fixture in the history of sport in that country.  You can start to see this across the UK, and not just in terms of player participation, but also in the business and investment side of Padel.  Both the sport and the industry underpinning the sport are about to grow together and feed off each other.  

The challenge is going to be how existing sport facilities (including tennis and bespoke sites) are looking to expand and build Padel facilities across the length and breadth of the country that will surely in the next few years be needed to service the demand for Padel.  

The Tennis Player.  So most people accept generally that Padel is a bit of the love child of the fusion between Tennis and Squash.  Padel, in very basic terms, could be described as a mini-game of tennis but with walls.  Tennis in the UK has moved on quite a bit over the years in terms of demographics and your typical tennis player or enthusiast.    What used to be, if we are being completely honest, a slightly elitist, middle-class-dominated sport has become much more accessible and relevant in all social circles.  Padel doesn’t come with any of that baggage in the first place though.   If any element of elitism exists in still in tennis, it doesn’t in Padel.   Padel is a social, generally doubles-orientated game that is about fun and inclusion.  You might think the tennis-playing purist might look slightly down on this new sport of Padel.  But in our experience, those same tennis purists are almost always hooked on Padel from the first moment they walk off the Padel court with a broad smile on their face.   Padel is even starting to pull people away from tennis.   (Even though many of them are still trying to play their brand of tennis on the Padel court!).  

The squash player.  There has always been a bit of tension in Clubland between the Squash and tennis players.  A bit of friendly rivalry, natural friction…maybe just on the odd, isolated incident though slightly bubbling over!  Maybe this is a sports way of saying, come on guys, let’s be as one and Padel was created just so that squash and tennis players can sit around a match meal table together.   But the Squash player is from what we have seen quite at home on the Padel court.  A squash player needs walls.   They get cranky in the open air or without walls surrounding them.  They know angles better than the tennis players, they know how to judge pace and movement off of the walls.   So they love Padel too.   But they might currently struggle with the scoring system in the world of Padel tennis!  

The sports generalist.  This is your typical sports enthusiast.   Happy to participate in any sport, and especially get on the bandwagon of anything new.  But the kind of person who is competitive at everything, and is hungry to absorb any knowledge that might get them a leg up in the competitive world of whatever sport they might be playing at the time.

The pro.  Maybe not so many of these yet in the UK.  The professional Padel player.  But look at Spain and Sweden, or take a look at the world padel tour (find this on Youtube at [                     ]) and you can see how Padel will be more than just a fun, engaging and social game in the next few years in the UK.  There will be more leagues across the country, more investment, sponsorship and the inevitable exponential growth of Padel into the professional arena in the coming years 

The recreational player.  Someone not necessarily contacted with the sport before.  This is surprisingly where we have found Padel comes into its own, which might ironically be the category of players that drives the growth of Padel forward.  Padel seems to capture a whole class of sports enthusiasts, not traditionally associated with other more established sports.  I think this has something to do with the combination of the elements of Padel that make it so addictive.  The social side of the sport, the fact that you are playing nearby, the fact that it can be played even at beginner level to some degree, and the fact that it tests your cardio without completely exhausting you.  

So if you look through the above that is quite a wide market!  But there is probably a common thread through this.  The social and fun side of the sport.  And clubs will be starting to tailor their facilities and their offering towards that side of things.  Professional coaching, social events, tournaments, maybe a well-equipped pro shop and catering facilities.  Organised events, corporate events, even stag and hen do.  By offering a holistic experience, Padel facilities will start becoming social hubs within themselves, even when they are “bolt-ons” to the wider and more established tennis or racket clubs.  The fun element of Padel lends itself to creating fun activities and facilities around Padel.  Probably more so at this early stage in the life of Padel.  The competitive and more professional side of Padel is certainly coming, but for now, the current all-inclusive nature of Padel is what a lot of the clubs will be looking to focus on.    

So what type of courts are clubs and providers looking at? There is the whole construction industry whirring into life to address the impending need.  One Padel consultant that we spoke to,  and who is active in and around the business side of Padel commented on this.  “We are advising clubs to not necessarily go for the cheapest option about the initial cost of courts.  Budgets have to be a consideration, but Padel is here to stay, and the courts should as far as possible reflect that in terms of long-term durability and performance.  It may be a false economy to be investing in Padel courts on the cheap, and then finding that the repairs are needed a year later.  Fibreglass padel courts tend to be a bit more expensive but then need little maintenance.   Then there are the safety aspects that need to be considered.  Don’t forget you are playing a fast-moving sport within glass walls.  Providing a safe solution for players is vital.  Clubs need to enquire as to the types of glass, their durability and safety.  Insurers will also probably need to be involved to ensure the safety of courts and surroundings.  Attention to all the smaller details at the construction, design and safety stage will be an investment in the end.”

And let’s not forget that in the modern, contemporary world the aesthetics of Padel shouldn’t be overlooked.  In time, and with new investors, clubs and corporates jostling for position in the Padel space, having something visually pleasing to the eye, will make that facility stand out amongst the inevitable crowd, and will create a powerful brand.  

Useful links.

To book a padel court at your nearest David Lloyd Club – click here.

Check out our top picks of luxury hotels that offer Padel courts and Padel coaching here.