Current:Home > MarketsPadel, racket sport played in at least 90 countries, is gaining attention in U.S. -USAMarket
Padel, racket sport played in at least 90 countries, is gaining attention in U.S.
View
Date:2025-04-17 10:48:46
One racket sport that's been picking up steam internationally for years is now gaining attention in the United States. It's not tennis, squash, racquetball or pickleball. It's padel, which reportedly got its start in Mexico in the 1960s, and is now played in at least 90 countries.
Padel is played two-on-two, and all serves are underhand. Players can use the turf court and glass walls to their advantage.
One of padel's highest-profile fans is three-time Grand Slam tennis champion Andy Murray, who has put his own money into the sport with an investment in a padel company in the U.K., Game4Padel.
What is the sport's appeal to him?
"There's obviously a bit of crossover to tennis," Murray said. "But it's probably a little bit easier, a bit more forgiving on the body. But still, you know, it's fun, it's competitive, it's good exercise. It's a great game to play socially.
"I believe it is a better game to play than pickleball, which I know everyone is trying just now," Murray said.
New Yorkers are now getting a taste of the sport, at the city's very first padel club, Padel Haus, in Brooklyn.
Former tennis pro Jordana Lujan picked up padel during the pandemic, and quickly got drafted to the Pro Padel League – North America's first professional circuit. PPL kicked off its inaugural season last month.
"I fell in love with padel very recently, but I deeply fell in love with it," Lujan said.
She was excited, but said it's going to take more than a pro league for the sport to catch on in the U.S.
"If padel gets into universities, into colleges, I think that's what's gonna explode," Lujan said.
Don't miss the 2023 Pro Padel League Championship, Thursday, June 22 at 10 p.m. ET, on the CBS Sports Network.
Vladimir DuthiersVladimir Duthiers is a CBS News correspondent based in New York.
TwitterveryGood! (542)
Related
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- Mistrial declared in case of Arizona rancher accused of fatally shooting Mexican migrant near border
- Alabama lawmakers advance expansion of ‘Don’t Say Gay’ and ban Pride flags at schools
- Earth Week underway as UN committee debates plastics and microplastics. Here's why.
- The FTC says 'gamified' online job scams by WhatsApp and text on the rise. What to know.
- Amber Alert issued for baby who may be with former police officer suspected in 2 murders
- New Mexico reaches settlement in 2017 wage-theft complaint after prolonged legal battle
- Mistrial declared in case of Arizona rancher accused of fatally shooting Mexican migrant near border
- Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
- Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
Ranking
- Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
- New federal rule would bar companies from forcing ‘noncompete’ agreements on employees
- These apps allow workers to get paid between paychecks. Experts say there are steep costs
- The Best Fanny Packs & Belt Bags for Every Occasion
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Kid Cudi Breaks His Foot After Leaping Off Coachella Stage
- How do I update my resume to help land that job? Ask HR
- The TikTok ban was just passed by the House. Here's what could happen next.
Recommendation
A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
United Methodists open first top-level conference since breakup over LGBTQ inclusion
What do ticks look like? How to spot and get rid of them, according to experts
Below Deck Mediterranean Has a Major Crew Shakeup in Season 9 Trailer
Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
Romance scammers turn victims into money mules, creating a legal minefield for investigators
Sanders orders US and Arkansas flags flown at half-staff in honor of former governor
Jana Kramer Considering Another Baby With Fiancé Allan Russell 5 Months After Giving Birth