Padel: South Africa’s new smash hit
In just three years padel has taken the country by storm. With courts imported from Spain, the start-up costs of clubs and a thriving market for gear, it’s no small industry
“Padel is the new golf,” says Elian Wiener, director of Virgin Active Padel Club: it’s a great way to entertain clients and to network. But it’s also a driving force in establishing communities — which may be the reason it’s one of the fastest-growing sports in South Africa.
The game — a mixture of tennis and squash (sometimes referred to as “squash in the sun”) — has been in South Africa for less than three years, but it’s already “rapidly professionalising, with prize money, clubs and equipment, manufacturers and sponsors”, says Wiener. And health groups and sports retailers are getting in on the action...
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