Compared to tennis, a Padel tennis court is smaller and the net is lower. Padel tennis is played with a solid perforated paddle, as opposed to a strung racquet and a lower pressure tennis ball. The First Capital Bank Sports Village 10 by 20 Padel Club founder, Adrien Jacobs told MmegiSport said the sport was introduced in Botswana four months back. It arrived on the South Africa shores two years ago and, originating in Mexico, it is regarded as the fastest growing sport in the world. “The size of a Padel court is 10 meters by 20 metres, which is the name of the facility (10 by 20). It is a mixture of tennis and squash. The surface is softer than a tennis court, which makes it accessible for all ages. From next year, it will have its dedicated sport channel for Padel. Football clubs globally are buying into it, with some international players having their own Padel clubs, including Liverpool manager (Jürgen Klopp) who says it is his favourite sport,” he said.
Jacobs said in most countries, the idea of Padel tennis courts in shopping centres does not work but it is rather more ideal within tennis clubs. He said in Botswana, the location of the Padel at a shopping complex has been a success due to visibility. He said if once one plays Padel tennis, they are instantly hooked. “It is a doubles game only, the scoring is exactly like tennis and as we speak, the courts here are fully booked until the end of November by individuals and companies. We also have an international coach who comes here once a month to train local coaches,” Jacobs said. He said they are planning to host a tournament for local and international players with prize money set at P200, 000. Jacobs said Padel tennis is an inclusive sport unlike in other countries where it is an exclusive sport because of the costs of playing.
