Lockdown Locks In Padel in South Africa
Padel arrived in South Africa a little over a year ago, and it’s been quietly increasing in popularity, despite the recent epidemic that has ravaged the athletic world.
Earlier last weekend, the South African Padel Association (SAPA) staged its first ever Club Championship Competition, which chose a South African Invitational team for the Africa Club competition to be held in Cairo, Egypt, in March 2022.
During the Cape Town tournament, the top two women’s teams and the top three men’s teams were selected to represent South Africa.
Leading the beautiful belles of South African padel are Elizna Wilken and Renate Potter (Africa Padel). Followed by the pair of Suzi Van der Merwe and Louise Chiate (Africa Padel).
For the men’s division, Luke Potter and Brett Hilaradies came out on top (Africa Padel). Secondly, we have Rob and Sam Schiekerling (Padel Tennis SA Roodepoort). While Elian Wiener and Rob Sulcas finished third (Africa Padel).
Squash and tennis are combined in the sport. There is a lot of action and excitement in this game and this why this sport is undeniably one of the fastest-rising sport not only in South Africa but worldwide.
When it comes to padel vs tennis, what are the main distinctions between the two games?
Like squash, padel features a court with walls so the balls may be hit off of them. Bats with no strings are utilized. The ball must be served at or below the waist level. The rules of the game may be found here.
It’s not only the tennis ball that’s different. Padel balls have less pressure and bounce less than tennis balls since they’re smaller.
Time travel with padel to the past and future:
In an interview with Eyewitness News after the club championship, Potter discussed the sport’s future with the likes of Lionel Messi and Jurgen Klopp, as well as tennis star Jamie Murray.
Even though it’s a relatively new sport in the Rainbow Nation, having just been permitted to begin playing it in 2020, the sport was initially played in the 1960s. Enrique Corcuera, a Mexican businessman who had a vacation house in Acapulco, is said to have built the first padel court in the city.
In order to fit a tennis court within his house’s three to four-meter high walls, they had to cut the surface down to the size of a basketball court. Padel was created since the court was just 10 by 20 meters in size.
South Africa may just be discovering padel but don’t let this late entry fool you. The talents from this land are shaking the padel worldwide scene and we’re all here for it.
Even in the past year, South Africa has become a highly competitive country! That worldwide competitiveness and exposure will help the country in the long run. This is just the start and they’re eyeing bringing in more talents and coaches to sharpen the South African Padel Team.
Initially, just four courts were available in South Africa, with the majority located in the Western Cape. However, the sport currently has 16 venues spread around the nation, with one in almost every large metropolis.
Referring to the latest APT Padel Tour announcement, Potter said that they will hold an official tournament in April 2022. This is a landmark event for the sport of padel as well as for Africa as a whole.
Second only to the ATP Padel Tour in terms of prize money, the APT Tour is now more worldwide than ever before, with Africa being included as a fourth continent. In Cape Town, there is no better spot to enjoy it.
SAPA was admitted as an associate member of Tennis South Africa at the beginning of 2021, intends to expand the padel community in South Africa. This collaboration aims to provide more exposure to the sport.
