Africa-Press – Namibia. PADEL, a fast-paced racket sport, has been gaining popularity worldwide, and its growth shows no signs of slowing down. Trustco joined in on the craze as part of their year-end function recently, with 30 teams taking part in a fun-filled day of action.
Invented in Acapulco, Mexico, in 1968 by Enrique Corcuera, padel combines elements of tennis and squash, played on an enclosed court with solid, perforated rackets.
Typically played in doubles, padel involves hitting a ball off the court walls, similar to squash. A serve must place the ball at or below waist level into the opposite court. The sport has evolved from its humble beginnings, with glass walls and artificial turf replacing concrete surfaces, allowing spectators to watch the game.
Padel remained a niche sport for decades, but its popularity soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 25 million active players in more than 90 countries as of 2023. The International Padel Federation (FIP) reports that the sport is worth about N$40 billion a year, with the Padel World Championship held every second year since 1992.
Padel was included in the 2023 European Games, and the FIP plans to have 75 national federations to make padel an Olympic sport for the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane, Australia.
With three padel courts fitting into one tennis court, many tennis clubs are converting to padel, driven by its profitability. Deloitte projects the number of padel courts to reach 84,000 by 2026, with the sport’s growth showing no signs of slowing down.
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