Sundridge Park Tennis Club spent their time in lockdown building two new courts for the fast growing sport of padel tennis.

A mix between tennis and squash, padel tennis is popular in other countries like Spain and is becoming more popular in England. The tennis centre in Bromley now has a purpose built facility.

Outdoor tennis returned this week and Sundridge Park are now opening up their two new padel courts to complement its 17 tennis and four squash courts, making it the only club in Kent to offer these three racket sports.

As the first club in Kent to install this new racket sport facility, they have received a loan for half the cost from the Lawn Tennis Association, the national governing body for Padel, who is looking to have 400 padel courts in place across Great Britain by 2023.

One of the fastest growing sports across continental Europe, Padel has gained increasing popularity over recent years, with over six million people currently playing in Spain on more than 20,000 padel courts, with an estimated six million active players. Behind football, it’s the country’s second most popular sport.

As of November 2020 there are around 6,000 active padel players across the UK. There are currently 82 padel courts in Britain at 45 clubs – a number that is set to grow substantially over the coming years.

The Sundridge Park club recently won Kent LTA club of the year. No membership is required to access the courts and there is an introductory April offer of 50% off court hire and racket hire.

Book your court here or call the club on 0208 464 9106 for further information

What is padel tennis?

● 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.

● The ball can bounce off 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 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.

● It’s great fun for all the family!