The New Sport Coming to The Lensbury
The fastest growing sport in the country, and even the world, is coming to The Lensbury. Soon, members and hotel guests will gain access to 2 courts where to play padel in Teddington. These outdoor padel courts in London will be open 7 days a week, and available from 7am until 10pm. We can’t wait to welcome you for a match, but until then, let’s get you prepared with some more information about the sport of padel.
The Origins of Padel
Padel started out in Mexico in the late 1960s, an invention of Enrique Corcuera that combines tennis scoring with squash-style wall play. What makes it so popular is the way it’s played entirely doubles, focusing more on strategy, finesse, and teamwork than strength.
As such, it’s a great sport for socialising, easy to pick up, and great for casual players but also competitive athletes alike.
The Rise to Popularity
From Latin America to the rest of the world, Padel is a sport that’s hard to put down. Participation tripled in just one year, going from 129,000 in 2023 to over than 400,000 in 2024. Even the UK saw an increase of players (51,000 now play Padel at least twice a month) and courts (going from 187 in 2021 to 893 across 300 venues).
Now, 43% of UK adults are aware of Padel, up from just 23% back in 2023. This new craze might see Padel included as one of the Olympic sports, potentially leading to its inclusion in the Brisbane 2032 Games.
How to Play Padel
Learning padel for beginners is incredibly simple, it’s a fast-paced sport that’s super social and strategic.
What You Need:
- Padel bat (solid, no strings)
- Padel balls (lower bounce than tennis)
- Court shoes with good grip
- Comfortable sportswear, think breathable and flexible
How to Play Padel
Serve: Always serve underhand and diagonally into your opponent’s service box.
Scoring: Follows traditional tennis scoring — 15, 30, 40, game.
Match Format: Typically played in doubles, with matches decided in best-of-three sets.
Walls in Play: Use the walls to keep the ball in play, similar to squash. Just make sure not to hit the wall directly on the full!
Shot Variety: Mix up your shots with forehands, backhands, smashes, lobs, and volleys. Once you’ve mastered these, try more advanced techniques like the Bandeja, Chiquita, or Vibora.
Learn more rules in our guide to playing padel.
