What’s the appeal of Padel?
Is it a sport? A fad? A fashion statement? Because locals are flocking to a game that has swept across Europe, SA operators are racing to keep up with demand
It’s been called “tennis with training wheels”, as well as “squash in the sunshine”. It’s hailed as the world’s fastestgrowing sport. But, equally, the fastest-growing sport you’ve never heard of. At least here in SA, that is. Say hello then to Padel, the racquet sport that is fast growing a following across SA.
But perhaps we should start with a few basics.
Padel is a lot like tennis, though played on a smaller court measuring just 20x10 metres, with Astroturf flooring and a net across the middle. It’s played with a Padel racquet made of foam and fibreglass, or carbon fibre, rather like a spaceage beach bat.
The ball is 10% smaller than a tennis ball, with lower compression to reduce the bounce. Almost always played in doubles, the game begins with an underhand serve over the net into the opponent’s square. They can then return it over the net directly, or play it off the enclosing glass walls, much like squash. The scoring is the same as tennis — 15, 30, 40, game — and a match has three sets of six games. The first team to two sets wins the match.
Padel is said to have originated in Mexico in 1969 but really grew a global following in the 1990s, with the International Padel Federation (FIP) established in 1991. Today FIP claims millions of players in more than 90 countries worldwide. In Spain, there are estimated to be more than 20,000 Padel courts and it has grown to be the country’s second-most popular sport, beaten only by football. And, though it’s yet to be given Olympic status, it is only a matter of time. This October Padel will be an official code at the South American Games in Paraguay.
And now it’s spreading like wildfire in SA, with both established clubs and specialist operators building courts and growing a new market of Padel players.
Serving up the widest choice of courts at the moment is Africa Padel, founded in 2020 by Swedish entrepreneur — and Padel enthusiast — Philippe Kjellgren, together with SA and Swedish investors. Since opening its first facility at The Rotunda in Camps Bay in 2021, today Africa Padel offers 15 courts across the country.
“We are the biggest operator at the moment, and we want to maintain that position,” says Africa Padel CEO James Baber. “We believe there’s still a lot of runway for growth in SA. Our occupancies have increased every single month, even through the winter.”
And Africa Padel’s expansion plans are ambitious. Projects under construction include a six-court facility alongside the Discovery headquarters in Sandton, and four courts in Claremont, Cape Town. There are four further courts in the pipeline for Kloof Country Club in Durban, and the finer details are being ironed out for facilities in Pretoria and Gqeberha.
Another player in the market is Epic Padel, established in 2021 by entrepreneur Elian Wiener alongside two partner investors.
From its first court at The Glen in Clifton, Epic Padel has grown quickly to offer four outdoor weatherproof courts at Huddle Park in Johannesburg, and three courts in Durbanville in the Cape winelands. In August they opened SA’S first multi-court indoor Padel space in Paarden Eiland.
“We’ve made some tremendous strides in the past 12 months,” says Wiener. “And we believe the sport has a lot of opportunities outside where the current clubs are; the wealthier areas of Cape Town and Johannesburg.”
Leading brands are also focused on turning their courts into destinations, offering everything from well-equipped pro-shops with equipment sales and coaching clinics to onsite coffee shops promising baristas and good Wi-fi.
“We offer Wi-fi at all our clubs,” says Wiener of Epic Padel, “So people will sit there and work, have a game of Padel, and then go back to work.”
“A big priority for us is to secure the best locations first. But secondly, it’s about customer experience,” adds Baber. “You come to a nice club, there are court marshals to retrieve the balls and explain the rules. You can get a light meal; you can get something to drink. You can get a good coffee.”
But all of that doesn’t come cheap. Depending on the level of groundwork required, a single Padel court costs about R850,000 to construct and equip.
Africa Padel installs courts imported from Spain, costing R800,000 each. Throw in a pro shop, retail outlet and foodand-beverage offering, and the price jumps even higher.
“The commercial rule of thumb for us is four courts per club, and with the other services each club costs about R4.5m,” adds Baber. “It’s a significant investment.”
“It is a capital-intensive business,” agrees Wiener. “So there has to be a fee to play, we’re very conscious of that, but we’re trying to make it as affordable as possible and tailoring the prices according to customers in the area.”
While most new courts are stand-alone facilities tapping into the growing demand for the sport, Padel has also been a boon to established clubs looking to diversify.
In a bid to reinvigorate its historic Auckland Park site, The Country Club Johannesburg — established in 1906 — last year invested in three Padel courts.
“We have a long-term strategy and we have to constantly look at how we keep the club relevant,” explains Jeff Mckie, club manager at Auckland Park. “We noticed that the game was expanding rapidly in Europe, and our members were playing it overseas, and figured this was going to be the next big thing.”
It was a good bet. Their floodlit courts, open from 6am to 10pm, are in use for an average of 10 hours a day, every day. Aside from golf, it has become the most popular sports code on offer at either of the club’s two campuses.
“It’s phenomenal. The biggest complaint is that we don’t have enough courts, so we are currently working on plans to build another six at our Woodmead location,” adds Mckie. “But if the level of play persists we’ll definitely have to add more.”
Part of Padel’s appeal is that it’s a relatively accessible sport, in terms of both cost and physical ability.
Padel can be played in any pair of running shoes, and there’s no firm dress code. Court rental ranges from R380-R500 per court, per hour, with further discounts available through membership schemes and booking off-peak play. Most courts here, and thousands more worldwide, are easily bookable via the Playtomic app, which also shows live availability.
The expensive bit is the racquet. While racquets and balls are available for rent, regular players wanting their own kit will pay from R1,400 for an entry-level fibreglass racquet. Top-of-the-range carbon-fibre versions don’t leave much change out of R10,000. And you should probably spend that on a pair of clay-court tennis shoes, the recommended footwear for Padel players.
From a fitness perspective, Padel is also an easy sport to take up. Because it’s usually played in pairs, on a court 30% smaller than that used for tennis, you don’t need a high level of fitness to start playing, and enjoying, Padel.
“I’ve never seen a sport that is so accessible,” says Wiener. “I’ve taken people of all ages and athletic ability out on the court. It can be physical and dynamic at the highest levels, but it’s also very accessible for those who’ve never played a racquet sport before. And, people are often finding Padel at an age that they thought sport was behind them.”
“Padel is also not as technical as other racquet sports,” adds Dean Nortier, Padel coach at The Country Club Johannesburg. “From a playing perspective, it’s a lot easier than someone picking up a squash or tennis racquet. It doesn’t require the same technique, which makes it a lot easier to simply get on a court and have fun.”
But, don’t think it doesn’t require skill to master.
“It’s a very tactical game,” adds Nortier. “To play well you have to move the ball around, move your opponents around and set up the point in order to hit the winner or force an error. The objective is to place the ball; put it in the corners. It’s often compared to a game of chess.”
Right now, demand for Padel shows no signs of slowing down, and as more courts broaden the reach of the game, operators are expecting a whole new market to step onto the court.
“From a corporate perspective, and in terms of networking,” says Wiener, “Padel has become the new golf.”