Why is Padel so Addictive?

by Deborah Goldman

I've been trying to drill this down. What is it about the game that can turn a rational, fully-functional member of society into a padel-crazed maniac. Did traditional tennis ever have this effect? I don't recall that ever happening. Did generations gone-by sit hunched over their strawberries and cream, replaying each agonising point? Perhaps they did. It just feels different now - more intense. More fevered!

My partner and I used to sit down to our evening meal and shoot the breeze -sharing mundane facts about our respective days - what we had eaten for lunch was generally the highlight. Since discovering padel however, that has all changed. Now our daily de-brief consists of lengthy rants about club ratings, the relative benefits of fibreglass vs carbon fibre and the utter indignance at how it's possible to be three games up, only to lose the set '6-3'. And they say romance is dead!

Speaking of romance, I'm not sure it's entirely proper etiquette for your partner to book a padel court during a candlelit dinner for two. While mine claimed his life would be over if he missed the slot, I'm inclined to think him overly-dramatic.

So what exactly is it that has the nation so gripped? As the snowball effect sweeps up person after person, sending them tumbling into their nearest padel club, the phenomenon looks set to reach pandemic levels, and I don't believe there is any one reason for it.

Thus far I have come up with four main contributing factors for the rise of the game in the UK.

The ball doesn't run out

This might appear like an insignificant detail but trust me, if you have ever played tennis and felt like a gun dog, endlessly fetching your ball into infinity, you'll understand. The glass-sided court contains play to a limited area which is particularly pertinent for the less fit, and this one fact alone means that padel is accessible to all ages and all levels of agility.

Serving is easier

Unlike traditional tennis which requires the skills of a Jedi master to pull off a decent serve, padel rules state that you must serve underarm. If that isn't appealing in itself then I don't know what is - even my 90-year old grandmother can serve underarm.

It's slower

If tennis were a cheetah then padel would be more akin to a leopard. Unlike the cheetah, who sprints around the court at 70mph, the leopard is more measured in its ambush - stalking its prey, only pouncing when it spots a guaranteed kill. Tennis players who cross over to the game of padel soon learn that pelting every single shot from the baseline won't cut it.

Its a social thing

Perhaps the biggest attraction of all! Who doesn't love a cold beer after a competitive match? Padel clubs are built around community, and it is a great leveler, one that sees all walks of life unite in their one common passion for padel. Tournaments and events are a frequent feature at most venues and these gatherings are a great bonding experience for members.

Aside from the above, padel is just plain fun (unless you are an 'angry player' - see blog post for details) and most casual players find it joyfully competitive. While it's true that padel can be wildly frustrating at times, the dopamine rush of scoring a winning smash is powerful enough to keep you coming back for more hits.