Status:	Active, open to new members
Group Leader:	Graham Martin
Group email:	Padel group
When:	on Monday mornings 09.30 - 11.00 at Oliva Poliesportiu courts.
Venue:	Polideportivo Oliva

Padel is a sport which combines action with fun and social interaction. It’s a great sport for players of all ages and skills, as it is both quick and easy to pick up. Most players get the basics within the first half an hour of playing so that they can enjoy the game.

Padel is a mix between Tennis and Squash. It’s usually played in doubles on an enclosed court surrounded by walls of glass and metallic mash. The court is one third of the size of a tennis court.

Padel is not as dominated by strength, technique and serve as it happens in Tennis and therefore is an ideal game for men, women and youth to compete together. An important skill is match-craft, as points are won rather by strategy than by sheer strength and power.

The ball can bounce of any wall but can only hit the turf once before being returned. Points can be scored when the ball does bounce twice in the competitors’ field.

The game is quick and easy to learn, making it a fun and addictive sport to play. Using a short, stringless padel racquet with an elastic surface with holes and a low compression tennis ball, the service is made underarm.

Shots are played either before or after the ball bounces off the surrounding glass walls, adding a unique dimension to the sport over conventional tennis.

The rules for padel are similar to tennis in many ways, but there are also differences. Padel Scoring largely follows that of normal tennis and players change their side of the court every time an odd game number is played.

The group had its first meeting Monday 6th November - and it won't be the last! A thoroughly good exercise, come and join us.