Padel is played by local residents past and present - including David Beckham and Michael Vaughan – and given the ease of picking up this addictive racket sport, why wouldn’t you? Co-owners of UK Padel Courts Gareth Evans and Jordan Ingoe explain the appeal of padel and why this sport has everyone hooked from first time bat meets ball.
It is widely described as the world’s fastest-growing sport and also Britain’s fastest-growing sport. The fact that the two descriptions often go hand in hand is of no real surprise, given this country’s passion for sport.
As Britons, we tend to consume a huge amount of sport, whether it be playing or watching, and we tend to love the latest sporting trends. With years of experience working in the health and leisure sector, we have a good sense of what sports might be a fad, have the potential to grow or might be on the decline.
The moment we set eyes on padel, we could tell that this sport, almost uniquely, has the ability to appeal to people of all ages and from all walks of life.
For those readers not yet aware of padel, it is a racket sport played on a court which is 25% smaller than a standard tennis court, normally always as doubles, and with a less pressurised ball than tennis.
The sport uses what is called a padel (which are basically a small racket that has a hard surface, not strings). Shots can be played off the walls or ‘cage’ construction and, generally, it’s a less technical sport than tennis (making it more accessible to more types of people) and is hugely enjoyable, friendly, and sociable given the more intimate setting (players are in closer proximity than on a tennis court).
Like tennis, a set is won when a team wins six games and there is at least two games difference, or the players play a tiebreak. Matches are always best of three sets.
As two people that have grown up in the Northwest and know this part of the country’s raw passion for sport, we couldn’t be more convinced that Cheshire is on a path to becoming one of the UK’s padel hotspots.
You only have to look at the uptake of the sport by high profile figures from football in this part of the country (Jurgen Klopp, Virgil Van Dijk, Jordan Henderson and others) and cricketers (perhaps most notably Michael Vaughan) on one hand, and then, everyone from kids to pensioners on the other, to see the appeal of Padel and how it cuts through age, demographic, fame and status.
The ease with which people step onto court for the first time and pick up the sport, gripped by its ebb and flow, cat and mouse nature, is, from our experience, unheard of in any other racket sport. Having grown up playing and enjoying tennis and squash, we know that both sports can be immensely difficult to get up to your desired level.
Padel is different, and that (its accessibility and inclusivity) is perhaps its greatest trump card, and why we’re seeing a growing number of private clubs (such as Wilmslow’s The Padel Club), public padel facilities and, interestingly, private residents reconsider building a tennis court or another sporting pitch at their home, when they notice this sport and the huge enjoyment and benefits they can get from installing a padel court.
So, what does a typical padel court, the type we build at UK Padel Courts, look like?
Well, at its core, it consists of an astroturf base surrounded by a steel and glass framework. The courts that we build come in an indoor or outdoor frame with steel pillared sections, and at the back end they have a full glass viewing section.
We also build what is known as a panoramic court option (glass frames around the court for a more stylish appearance) for both inside and outside, too. We’re proud to say that each court is made bespoke for each client, where you can choose the frame, turf, colour and any specification so that its fits with the aesthetic of your home.
Being a Cheshire-based company, we pride ourselves on producing a high-quality court with competitive prices and delivering the project from start to finish within a six-week timeframe so that you don’t have to worry about a thing. We’ll have an initial phone call to discuss the project and then come to the site, review the area and begin planning.
You’ll then receive a quote for the court cost and the planning designs for the groundwork, outlining how we intend to approach the installation. We have trusted contacts who will fulfill the installation to make sure it’s done to the highest, most professional standard.
And given that a padel court is slightly smaller than a regular doubles tennis court, it makes a great alternative if you’re considering putting a court in your garden but are conscious of taking up too much space. So, given Cheshire’s passion for sport, and Padel’s rapid growth and hugely addictive appeal, why wouldn’t you consider a padel court?
Our business is about far more than construction and the supply of padel courts, however. We have expanded into the service and maintenance of courts, creating canopies for year-round padel (to help with the wet English weather!) and also managing the commercial operations of padel facilities.
Above all, installing your own padel court at home is not just going to be a talking point to entice your friends around. As people that have witnessed a lot of padel lately, we can attest that you will fall in love with this sport’s charms and its ability to get you hooked very quickly. To coin a well-worn phrase: you’ll never look back.
For more information on installing a padel court for your home, visit: ukpadelcourts.uk/
To make an enquiry, contact 0300 373 3313 or hello@ukpadelcourts.uk
