Join the Polokwane Padel Revolution!
What to wear and what to buy
Avoid upfront costs when first playing padel, with a ‘try before you buy’ approach.
“If you are starting out, you can rent a racquet and your normal trainers will work fine. Once the padel addiction gets real, invest in good quality padel shoes and a racquet that suits your playing style,” says Naidoo. Calvert-Evers agrees, saying no dress code is applicable. However, experts agree that if you decide padel is for you, you should invest in good shoes to help prevent injuries.
Yunnie explains that a padel racquet has a perforated surface, with no strings. Padel balls are similar to tennis balls, but with slightly less pressure. Nice-to-have equipment includes overgrips for better grip, wristbands and headbands to keep sweat at bay, and a padel bag. Clothing should be lightweight and breathable.
Costs
Racquets:
Costs vary widely, from around R1 000 to R10 000, depending on the brand and quality. The external frame is typically made of carbon fibre or fibreglass. Fibreglass racquets are cheaper and some players say easier and more comfortable to use, while carbon fibre is more durable and used in intermediate to advanced racquets. The core is generally made of foam, and racquets mainly come in three shapes. Talk to an expert about your needs.
Balls:
Between R100 and R200 for a sleeve of three.
Padel shoes:
Between R1 000 and R2 500.
Easy to learn, fun to play: Padel’s popularity soars
Padel, which combines elements of tennis and squash, is rapidly gaining popularity among families and individuals of all ages.
“It is the world’s fastest-growing sport,” says Lumb. “It is fun, easy to learn and has a strong social element that attracts everyone, not only your talented sports people. We have a strong sport culture in SA and people are curious about this new sport and want to give it a try.”
Naidoo agrees. “People get to ‘workout’ without feeling like they are exercising. Families can meet on the court and everyone is included, from the grandparents right down to the grandkids.”
Padel rules are similar to that of tennis – the scoring system is the same and many of the strokes are similar, except for a few specialised shots, says Lumb. In padel, you also play off the glass.
Lumb explains that in tennis, you win the point once you hit the ball past your opponent. In padel, the ball comes back off the glass and you have another chance to play it back; squash players manage this aspect of the game well.
1 Padel is mainly played in the doubles format.
2 You serve underhand and cannot strike the ball above waist height, says Lumb. Caxton editor and padel enthusiast Stefan de Villiers has this to say about the perfect padel serve: To serve in padel, start with both feet behind the service line, ensuring you don’t touch or cross it until after hitting the ball. Drop the ball in front of your left foot (if you’re right-handed) and let it bounce before hitting it at or below waist height. Swing through the ball with a bit of slice to keep it low and challenging for your opponent. Aim for deep and straight serves to limit your opponent’s options, varying placement and spin to keep them guessing. After serving, move forward towards the net to be ready for the next shot.
3 If the ball hits any part of the glass or fence before bouncing in your opponent’s court, you lose the point.
4 You may hit against the glass (boast) on your side of the court to send the ball into your opponent’s court.
5 You cannot touch the net at any time during the point or you lose the point.
6 When your opponent hits a smash and it comes off the glass, you may reach over the net to strike the ball – but must not touch the net with any part of your body or racquet.
