Those of us who have already blown out the candles on our birthday cake several times have experienced first-hand the growth of new sports in our country. Perhaps the most striking of all has been that of paddle tennis.. It was in 1974 when the Spanish aristocrat Alfonso de Hohenlohe, after discovering it on a trip to Mexico, decided to build the first slopes in the country in his Marbella Club hotel.
There, little by little, word of mouth among the social elite caused it to spread during the 80s and receive its official recognition as a sport in 1993 by the Higher Sports Council.
Initially reserved for a privileged few padel was making its way and becoming more democratic until registering 109,040 licenses in 2024, 8% more than the previous year and continuing a growth trend of 175% since 2012.
One can speak, then, of a proposal more than established with clues in almost every town hall from all over the country and a great circuit throughout the country. And now padel passes the baton to a new proposal that comes from the United States.
Pickleball is a more than established proposal there, being the most popular sport in recent years, already reaching a whopping number of 50 million amateur players And they say that one of the secrets of its success is that in just one hour of practice you can start playing it.
In Spain it can be said that it is still landing. It is estimated that There are about 20,000 players throughout the country and recently Arnuero has inaugurated the first public slopes in Cantabria. But first, let’s explain what this sport consists of. As indicated by the Spanish Tennis Federation, on which it depends, it is a racket sports modality which is practiced on a court of the same size as badminton (13.41mx6.10m), with the difference of the line that delimits the “no volley” zone, which is 2.13m from the net.
To play it you use a Rigid shovel with a smooth surface, whose sum of length and width must not exceed 60cmand the length must never exceed 43cm. The ball used is made of perforated plastic and measures about 7cm in diameter. The small dimensions of the court allow it to be played easily both indoors and outdoors.
The most characteristic rules of Pickleball are the double dribble and play in the non-volley zone. In the first, the server or his partner is obliged to let the ball bounce before returning the rest to his opponent.
The second refers to the area that covers a distance of 2.13m from the net, within which, even by stepping on the line that delimits it, a volley cannot be made. Yeah It is allowed to play inside or enter to return a ball that has previously been bounced. Regarding scoring, matches are usually played in sets of 11 points with a difference of two, and only the player/team that is serving can score points, as was the case in the past in volleyball.
In short, for many, it is a mix of tennis, badminton and table tennis. A fun, dynamic and simple sport. Antonio Cerreda He is one of those Cantabrians who tried it and fell in love and has already participated with great success in national tournaments.
How did you discover this sport?
I discovered it a bit by chance. Specifically, my first experience was three summers ago in Santoña, at an open day. I was attracted to it because I like implement sports. I found it very entertaining and that feeling has been reinforced as I have played some more tournaments.
It is still a sport unknown to the general public, right?
It is, but it is beginning to be known in some places, for example in the United States it has quite a tradition at this point.
It is a sport that was invented in the 60s and currently has many practitioners.
What makes it so special?
What is engaging is that it is a simple sport, which does not require great technical knowledge. Everyone can play, it is not like tennis that requires a certain technique, like paddle tennis. In addition to this, it is a very social sport, especially because of the simplicity of the first contact.
Cantabria has fans, but does it have an official circuit? Have you participated in any tournaments?
Cantabria no. Some communities have their own circuit. I participated in the Alcobendas tournament, in Madrid, in one of the national circuit events. There were three categories, over 18, over 50 and over 60 and then also levels in terms of play. One medium high, one high and the upper one. In my case I competed in the over 50 category at the high level and won in singles as well as reaching the final in doubles. My idea was to go, see what the atmosphere was like, socialize and play, and in the end we ended up meeting expectations. It was a very cool experience, with about 300 athletes. It helped me regain my enthusiasm for competing.
Is there any way to meet to play in Cantabria?
There is a WhatsApp group that is used to make meetups. It is not official but it is useful to meet and play with people.
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