Imagine a sport that is new to Malta, easy to learn, social, and creates a 'feel good' vibe both physically and mentally. This sport with more than 11,000 courts installed in Europe alone is commonly described as a cross between tennis and squash but yet like neither of the two. It is called - Padel.

 

How it all started

The founding team behind Padel Malta Ltd is Mrs. Janika Wijkmark and Mr. Karl Wijkmark. They are currently already running a successful business together and have vast experience in entrepreneurship in Malta. Now they are introducing the first Padel courts in Malta in the heart of Pembroke. Mrs. Wijkmark says "We actually started working on this project three years ago when we had experienced Padel abroad and asked ourselves why we didn't have this amazing sport in Malta?" The main obstacle has been to find where to build the courts, now that they have sorted out that problem they are starting their first "pilot project" with two courts, but it doesn't stop there. "We have the ambition to grow Padel big all over Malta with Padel centers all over the island" says Mr. Wijkmark.

 

Increasing in popularity

Padel is said to currently be the fastest growing sport in the world. The amount of Padel courts in Europe have increased by 15% year-on-year and the active number of players is now twelve million globally. 91% of the courts are located in Spain, followed by France, Italy and Sweden. In many countries the sport has overtaken its predecessor tennis, an example is in Spain where the sport is the second biggest after football.

Padel is also a very popular with sport celebrities; the international renowned football player Zlatan Ibrahimovic have four Padel centres in Sweden and the tennis player Rafael Nadal has Padel academies in Spain.

 

 

Why is Padel such a popular sport?

First of all, Padel is a very social sport, the four players interact on a relatively small area. The sport is easier to learn than its "bigger brother" tennis and it appeals to all ages. Whether you are a professional player or a beginner, you will always have fun on the courts as the sport facilitates games between all levels of players at the same time.

 

This is Padel

Padel can be explained as a mix between tennis and squash with a net in the middle. Scoring works the same way as in Tennis and the sport is played with similar balls to tennis but with less pressure. The Padel (racket) is stringless and made out of carbon fiber with a solid surface with holes in it. Serves are made below or at waist level. A major difference compared to tennis is that the walls surrounding the court can be used in the game (similar to squash). It is always played in doubles and the size of the court is about a third of a tennis court.

 

How to book:

Download the app “Playtomic”, an easy way to book courts and pay directly. You can also book by contact Padel Malta on Facebook or by emailing [email protected].

 

Contact details:

[email protected]

Tel: 79988987

Facebook.com/padelmalta

instagram.com/padel.malta

www.padel.mt