There's Not A More Chaotically Insane Sport In The World Right Now Than Padel
When it comes to racquet sports, tennis is obviously the purest version. It's the beautiful game. Honestly I'd say that table tennis might be the most impressive out of them all when it's played at the highest level. And personally, I think pickleball is the most fun to play.
But there's a slight chance the only reason I think pickleball is the most fun to play is because I've never had a chance to play padel yet.
This game is insane. It's like if you wanted to make a Frankenstein version out of all the racquet sports together. It's tennis mixed with squash/racquetball, played with a paddle that is somewhat similar to pickleball, and played at the speed of table tennis. The court is enclosed with glass or fence walls, but there's an opening in the middle players can go out to run down any balls to go out of the enclosure. Complete and utter chaos, yet somehow it's structured and elegant and moves to the beat of jazz.
And similar to pickleball and heroin, it sounds like everyone who has ever tried the sport just once immediately becomes addicted to it. How could you not? When the game moves that fast and there's so much going on, it instantly takes total control of your brain. Once those hooks are in your brain, it's tough for that game to not be the only thing you ever think about again.
The only thing that stinks about the sport, I guess, is that I've never even seen a court. Quick little Google search just told me there are somewhere between 300-450 padel courts in America. I don't necessarily love your odds of being able to just drive by a court and being able to get out and play. But chances are we're only a few years away from that.
Anyway, I know I'm late to the initial padel wave but I just wanted to get this in here so I could say I was onboard before the actual explosion into mainstream sports. And if you're a washed up athlete looking to get that juice back into your life, maybe put a paddle in your hands soon.