Saarbrücken (dpa/tmn) – 15, 30, 40: Anyone who is familiar with the counting method from tennis doesn’t have to change when they try out padel. The rules of the game that apply to this sport are very similar to those of tennis doubles.
However, some details are a little different with padel, the racket for example. An overview:
Where to play padel:
The main difference to tennis: Padel is played in a kind of cage whose walls are made of glass and wire mesh elements, explains Julian Lohau. He is a lecturer at the German University for Prevention and Health Management (DHfPG). The walls are included in the game in padel – this is familiar from squash.
According to the German Padel Association (DPV), the foundation for the sport was laid in Acapulco (Mexico) in 1965. An inventor is a man who would have liked to have a tennis court on his property. But because there wasn’t enough space for it, he had a smaller version built, it is said. The surrounding concrete walls are said to have quickly become part of the game. The starting point for padel.
If you want to try out the sport yourself, you can find locations using a DPV map. The game is played both indoors in the hall and outside in the open air, always two against two.
What to play with:
Anyone who picks up a padel racket quickly notices that it is smaller than a tennis racket. It consists of a solid surface with small holes.
Yellow and covered with felt, a padel ball looks like a tennis ball at first glance. However, its internal pressure is comparatively lower: Julian Lohau explains that this prevents the ball from bouncing high. By the way, unlike tennis, the serve in padel is played from below.
Why padel is trending:
Padel is considered a trend sport that more and more people are discovering. Julian Lohau explains this with the dynamics that the game brings with it. «It’s easy to find access and you can quickly play spectacular rallies. You have a sense of success early on and a high level of fun.”
One of the factors contributing to this is that a padel court is smaller than a tennis court: the distances are shorter and you catch the ball more often. And because the ball is allowed to bounce off the walls, there are always surprises.
What is trained in padel:
Sure, the focus is on fun. But you can also hope for a training effect if you pick up a racket regularly. “Hand-eye coordination, speed and balance are some of the skills that are trained,” says Julian Lohau. “You have to react quickly, turn, accelerate and hit the ball.”
Padel also trains the cardiovascular system, which is also because the breaks in padel are shorter than in tennis. According to the expert, there is little need to worry about injuries. “However, people who already have problems with their Achilles tendon should be careful,” says Lohau. Because it is definitely put under strain during the game. If you want to be on the safe side, talk to your doctor before your first training session and warm up the tendon well.
