Padel keeping Chennaiites on their toes, after pickleball
padel
, a fast-paced blend of tennis and squash. Once considered a niche sport, it is now one of the fastest-growing sports in India and youngsters in Chennai are picking up the sport, with more courts coming up in the next few years.
Players are from industries such as IT, films, and sports fields, and around 30% are in it to learn the sport professionally, while the rest are just exploring it, says Krishnadeep M, founder of Ballpark Padel Club. 'If they enjoy it, they keep coming back. People who have returned from the US or Europe, where padel is more common, also come in to play here. It's slowly catching up in the city,' says Krishnadeep.
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But what is padel? A blend of squash and tennis, it is played in an enclosed court with glass walls. 'The scoring is the same as tennis, but the gameplay is quicker. You can hit the ball off the walls, and there's no singles format; there is only doubles,' says Michael Roshan, who manages the Hotfut Padel facility in Perambur. 'That's what makes it so engaging. The ball stays in play longer, and the rallies are faster.'
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Compared to
pickleball
, which is gaining popularity due to its simplicity and affordability, padel demands a bigger commitment as the courts are expensive to build. 'That's why you don't see too many padel courts in the city yet,' says Krishnadeep.
Despite the growing interest, most people in India are still self-taught. 'There are workshops across India, but most of us figured things out on our own,' says film producer Avinash Viswanathan, who has been playing for more than a year and has travelled across India to play. 'I have a background in all
racquet sports
, so padel felt natural. It started with just four of us and we had no idea how to play in the beginning so we read about the game, watched videos and practised.'
Avinash sees a common gap. 'Chennai's padel community is very small. We've built a WhatsApp group with players of all levels where we share information and help newcomers get started. Once more people are involved, it will get accessible and will be loved by all.'
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