Discover what Padel Tennis is – from what it entails, to how to play the sport, to where you can practice it in Singapore!
The history of padel tennis dates back to 1890, when the sport was invented to entertain passengers on English ships with a related sport of tennis. Padel was actually invented in 1969 in Mexico and later introduced in Spain.
Today, Padel is the second most popular sport in Spain after football and one of the fastest growing sports worldwide – find out how to play it and where you can do so in Singapore!
A padel court is similar to a hybrid between a tennis and squash court. The side walls of the court are formed by the extension of the back wall over a height of 2 metres and 12 metres of metal wire.
The court is 20 metres long and 10 metres wide, with 4 serving areas and a net. The back wall is a wall 3 metres high with a 1-metre grid of metal wire.
- A game is played 2 against 2 (doubles). There are also courts for singles play, but this is generally less fun for this dynamic game.
- The serve: You get 2 serve attempts and the serve is done underhand and diagonally.
- The ball is allowed to bounce once.
- The ball must bounce before it hits any part of the court.
- The ball may be hit against a wall after one bounce (only against a wall, not against the grid).
- After once bounce, it may go outside the court and you can hit it back outside the court (you have to be quick for that!).
- Scoring system is similar to tennis (15-30-40 advantage, 6 games per set).
- Padel balls are similar to tennis balls, they are only slighter larger and travels slower.
Now that you are aware of the game play rules... Let's get you onboard with the things you need to play padel!
CHOOSE A PADEL RACKET WITH THESE FEATURES IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER:
- Teardrop-shaped: Helps to achieve a bigger sweet spot and therefore more possibilities to centre the ball and hit it back properly.
- Light: Between 350 and 380 g, for good maneuverability.
- Head heavy: For more power and to hit the ball back easier.
- Thin racket (thickness of about 36 mm): The thinner the padel racket, the better the ball feeling and the greater the ball control.
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Check out Decathlon's padel racket for beginners: Kuikma Padel Racket PR190 - Green
Grab a ball and you're good to go!
You might also need a pair of padel shoes with herringbone treads (like those used on gravel in tennis). Padel tennis is played on sandy artificial grass. Therefore you need to be able to hit the ball accurately!
We've covered what padel tennis is, how to play the game and what are the essentials for your first padel game. Now, the next question is... Where can you play padel in Singapore?
1. Bliss Padel @ Marina Tennis Centre
3 padel courts are available, with panoramic views over Singapore's CBD area!
Find out more on operating hours and booking information for Bliss Padel courts here.
2. SingPadel @ Jurong Gateway Road
4 courts are available in the West of Singapore!
Find out more on operating hours and booking information for SingPadel courts here.
A GOOD WARM UP
Especially essential for the ankles, knees, pelvis and back, a good warm-up for these areas are extremely important!
You will notice that you make fewer mistakes in your game as you are able to turn on your own axis faster, thanks to the warm-ups.
WALL TRAJECTORIES
Play very slowly in a 1 on 1 target practice. Pass the ball so that it bounces against the wall and hit as soon as it returns. You should practice a few times to progress faster.
After warming up, you can play a double game. Start slow! Precision and patience are very important in padel. Also, do not think too quickly that you have won a point because in padel, a ball passing your opponent is not a point won. The walls will quickly remind you of this fact.
When a rally is in progress, make sure you stay on your side of the court. Every ball on your side is yours, so go for it!
Padel is a dynamic sport that will test all your muscles! Enjoy every swing with our padel products!
We hope you found this article useful.
Now that you know the tips and tricks on how and where to play padel, grab a friend and swing your shot!
Choose your game of life with sports!
