LOOKING AT THE GAME OF PADEL

Our Vignal tennis club having recently been equipped with two excellent Padel courts on a convenient site adjacent to the Club car park, I proposed to help familiarise our members with the new game.  Already up to a hundred players had enrolled and were practising: mainly evenings and weekends. A hiring facility for racquets and balls was conveniently installed in the Club Office and this was all that was needed to set the players in motion.  In fact, very quickly, tournaments with players from neighbouring clubs were arranged and I was able to take photos of services and smashes of the participants.  Here is a typical underhand service:

No more your high-kicking serves tennismen!  In fact, top-spin seems not to be used at all; rather the 

ball is cut  in many of the strokes, forehand and backhand.  The predominant strokes could well be the smashes...... (see below)

ludovic cueta smashing

Important details on the methods of scoring:

nothing for you to learn - just the same as in

tennis - our curious 0,15,30,40, deuce, 

advantage; and tie-break also like tennis.

No, you're not ready to play yet!  The terrible rebounds from the walls of the courts.......Often very useful in fact - long ball on your feet - step away letting the ball hit the back wall - rebounding on the floor next to you just ready for your powerful (cut) forehand. You have been able to ignore the back line on the court.

Now for you to judge how well you will able to perform in this game.. My impressions are that you will often be short of time to get to the ball, while avoiding treading on your partner's feet! You certainly won't be able to amble slowly round these courts in idle retirement.......  

Perhaps playing some Padel every day may be good practice to improve your tennis! Anyway, enjoy this new facility et Bonnes Pâques! all of you.