Padel making a racquet across NI

It's like tennis – but different. To say that padel has grown in popularity would be an understatement, the sport has taken over thanks to it's fun, fast and social nature.

Invented in Mexico in 1969, it has experienced a huge boost of popularity in the past few years with an estimated 30 million players across the world.

The Padel Federation of Ireland (PFI) said 11 new clubs have opened across Northern Ireland in the last 12 months, with coach-led 'social sessions' attracting new players.

It was the sport's similarity to tennis and squash that encouraged Jenny to give it a go, but it was the community that has kept her coming back.

"I came by myself and there were just lots of people to meet that are happy to play," she said.

"We've mixed who we're playing with, so it's a good way to meet people and play paddle."

"I thought the social was a good way to sort of break myself in to see if I liked it."

She said her advice to anyone thinking about giving padel a go would be to "get off the sofa and come and play cause it's good fun".

This summer the first Northern Ireland International Padel Open tournament will be contested. It's sanctioned by the PFI and International Padel Federation (FIP), and is expected to attract players from across Europe.

Chloe Henning considers herself a beginner, "It's really hard to actually find four people who want to play, also four people of my ability as well."

"It can be intimidating to come when there's other people here, a few of my friends have felt that way," she added.

She attends the socials because they're "beginner friendly".

"We always start off with a bit of a coaching session, to get you in warmed up and ready to play the games."

"It's a welcoming environment and everyone tends to be semi new to the sport. It is such a new sport in Northern Ireland, especially with women playing, A lot of men have been playing for slightly longer than us women," she added.

Social padel sessions allow new players to sample the sport, they get access to coaching, the chance to play friendly matches, build confidence on the court and hopefully improve their game.

Deborah Kinder runs two socials a week at Belfast Boat Club.

"It's all really about building a paddle community, we started a year and a half ago, and it just gets busier and busier."

She said the events attract a huge variety of people: "We have accountants, we've got doctors, nurses, people who do shift work, firemen, different nationalities, people from all walks of life".

"People turn up to my social classes and then all of a sudden maybe six months down the line they're entering tournaments.

"Padel is not just about the sport, it's about meeting people," she added.

Padel coach Chris Moffitt believes that, once you have mastered the basics - the forehand, the backhand and the volley – then you're ready to hit the court.

"Once you can play, we can do matches, and you build your confidence by playing against different people at different levels and you learn from them," he added.

The biggest challenge he said people face is, not the similarities to tennis, but the differences.

"The big thing is that you don't hit the glass of the cage directly, it has to bounce in the court first, and then once it comes off the glass, then you hit it in the air," he said.

"In tennis, if the ball goes behind you, then the point's lost, but in paddle it's your friend, the glass is your friend, you let it come off the glass and then hit it as you would normally.

"The main thing I like to see is everybody leaving with a smile on their face, once they've enjoyed it. Then they'll come back again and learn."

Ruari Murtagh organises socials for Lets Go Padel at their Carryduff site, "What we try and do is get new people into the sport".

"It's a great way to meet new people, it's a great way to try something new and it's a great way to get out and get active, in a really positive and welcome atmosphere," he added.

"Our plan is to try and get more people into the sites through these social activities, trying to get new players in, trying to get players developed."

Ruari said the main aim of hosting padel socials was to "develop players, and hopefully, produce a new great standard of players."

Padel is a racquet sport that uses the same scoring conventions as lawn tennis but is played on courts around a third smaller.

The game is mainly played in the doubles format, with players using solid racquets with no strings.

Courts are enclosed and, like in squash, players can bounce the ball off the walls.

Padel balls are smaller than those used in tennis and players serve underarm.