Have you ever heard of the sport of padel? This is a mixture of tennis and squash – and is experiencing a real hype in some countries. Germany’s largest padel hall has now opened in Hamburg. MOPO reporter Elias Lübbe trained there with Germany’s best player Maël Saugy.
The court looks like tennis – and padel is also very reminiscent of the sport of Federer, Nadal and Co. The four meter high walls made of glass and a kind of chain link fence around the court are different. These walls may be used as in squash.
It’s always two against two: whoever manages to get the ball to hit the ground twice gets a point – just like in tennis. The game is played with extra padel rackets and balls.
Padel is more popular in Spain than tennis – and is now coming to Hamburg
The sport is extremely popular in some countries: there are many padel fans in Spain in particular: with four million active players, it is more popular there than tennis. The trend sport is now also coming to us – on Sunday the largest padel hall in Germany opened in Curslack.
The gates opened for the first time at 11 a.m.: Padel experienced and newcomers arrive in the hall – the places are quickly taken. The friendly exchange among the players is particularly striking.
For the padel test, MOPO reporter Elias Lübbe ventures onto the court – with Germany’s best player Maël Saugy. “It’s great that there is now such a high-quality hall in Hamburg,” says Saugy.
Saugy explains what is important and seems practiced when explaining: “You hold the racket like a hammer and then pull it around your head as if you were putting on a scarf.” After a few practice shots, it’s on to the court walls: ” The ball must not hit the ground again after it has hit the glass pane.” That turns out to be more difficult, but after a few balls the MOPO reporter notices initial progress.
Of course you have to get used to the rackets and the fact that the ball flies around you and bounces off the walls. But after a short familiarization phase, you understand why the Spaniards love the sport: padel is fast, varied – and easy to learn. Even children from the age of three can start with the sport.
Head of the hall Henning Kinkhorst is very satisfied with the opening: “Our opening is the beginning of a journey – we want padel to become Olympic!” In order to achieve this goal, the newly opened hall should be a performance center with an academy for the training of trainers :become inside. And the German Championships in December are also held here.
Why there is such a hype in Spain is clear after the test: padel is just a lot of fun! Anyone who would like to try out the trend sport can simply come to the hall between 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. until September 1st and play for free. Racquets can be hired for a small fee. Address: Curslacker Heerweg 265.
