People have always participated in sport for leisure, network & connection, and fitness. Some of the most popular exercises people do include running, swimming, walking and football. However, padel is taking over, and already has over 30 million players worldwide.
Spain has the highest number of padel players, with 4 million participants. In the United States, about 90 thousand people play the sport. Across Africa, about 1.29 million people are engaged in the sport. So, why is padel becoming so popular?
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Low Barrier to Entry
One of the reasons why padel is becoming popular is its low barrier to entry. In comparison to tennis, it’s more affordable, for example, in Kenya, using a padel court for 60 minutes costs Ksh 4000 and Ksh 6000 for a 90-minute session, and this is split among four players, bringing the cost of entry down. This price varies depending on the facility.
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Rules Are Easy to Follow
Unlike tennis, padel rules are simple. The ball must bounce once before a player hits it; they can use the walls, underhand serve, and some elements of the tennis scoring system, such as the best of three sets, but it doesn’t include the advantage point-scoring when points are level. At deuce, the next point wins the game. Additionally, it’s primarily played in doubles, facilitating interaction, making it easier to follow.
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Padel is a Social Sport
Why is padel becoming so popular? Another big reason is its social aspect. It’s played in doubles, and that provides an avenue for friends, communities and families to unite around an activity. It’s a good way of meeting other people, and the smaller courts facilitate a lot of interaction with people.
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Fitness and Health
Padel can be played by anyone across different ages. It’s a good way of maintaining fitness. Furthermore, because it involves the entire body, it provides an aerobic workout. Additionally, because it covers a smaller area, it’s not as tiring as other sports such as football or singles tennis. That said, you can adjust the pace of your training.
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Influencers and Celebrities Fuel Its Popularity
When a celebrity takes up something, it’s only a matter of time before society follows suit. David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andy Murray, Serena Williams and Lionel Messi play padel, elevating the game’s status.
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Entertainment Value
Padel’s fast-paced nature makes it more entertaining to watch. Unlike tennis, which can seem slow and long to many casual fans due to its scoring system and number of sets, particularly for men who play best of five sets. However, the points scoring system in padel, which ensures that there aren’t tie-breakers or advantage points, gives the game an electric-entertaining pace.
Conclusion
Why is padel becoming so popular? If you were wondering why everyone is seemingly rushing to take on padel, the reasons above explain its growing popularity. So, if you’re looking for a new hobby, want to make friends, or find a community of like-minded people, you might want to give padel a try.
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