Pacific Padel is set to launch clubs around New Zealand. Photo / Tim Marshall
Pacific Padel is warning its soon-to-be members about what might happen if they get involved in the booming sport.
As one of the world’s fastest-growing codes, the sport is eagerly awaiting the opening of its first club in Albany this March, followed by clubs launching in Merton Rd and Christchurch later this year.
Pacific Padel chief executive Julian Brown told the Herald: “Padel should come with a warning label - it’s addictive.”
“Everybody loves it.”
The racquet sport, touted for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, is best described as a cross between tennis and squash. Typically played in a doubles format, the game is scored like tennis and played with tennis balls at 8% less pressure.
Growing in popularity, it has garnered high-profile investors in New Zealand, including current and former Black Caps Kane Williamson and Stephen Fleming.
Fleming told the Herald that it was about time the sport was taken seriously in Aotearoa.
“I’m spending a lot of time abroad at the moment coaching franchise cricket teams and padel is everywhere, including India,” he said.
“It’s very popular with the cricketers, they are always booking courts and playing in their spare time.”
He revealed he got involved in bringing the sport to New Zealand through a South African entrepreneur, Rob Hersov, who founded African Padel.
“He was keen on taking it to New Zealand and wanted to know if I and former South African cricket captain Faf Du Plessis would be interested in investing.
“We both jumped at the chance and quickly became involved in Pacific Padel. We were then able to throw the net a little wider and Kane was a great fit and enthusiastic about being involved.”
Despite being champion of the sport, and an extraordinary athlete across his 14-year international cricket career, Fleming admits he’s not so handy when it comes to padel.
“I’m still a novice and often get worked over by the youngsters but I am getting better and working out angles and court positions helps a lot.
“It’s such a good game for all ages as it’s a great workout but not as demanding as squash or tennis.”
Brown estimates hundreds, if not thousands are playing padel or taking lessons in the sport around New Zealand at the various courts and tennis clubs that offer it. He said that number is only limited to the lack of courts available.
Currently, there are only three locations across the country with a padel court.
“The number of active padel players will explode into the thousands throughout 2025 as more courts are built, and will grow exponentially yearly,” Brown said.
Brown said their club opening in Albany couldn’t come sooner.
They are hoping to host tournaments, run an interclub and create a social hub where participants of all ages can hang out before and after matches.
“The goal is to spread the love of padel, because everybody that tries it, really seems to enjoy it.
“We would like to do 100 courts, that’s the initial goal, across maybe 10 to 15 clubs.”
Bonnie Jansen is a multimedia journalist in the NZME sports team. She’s a football commentator and co-host of the Football Fever podcast, and was part of the Te Rito cadetship scheme before becoming a fulltime journalist.
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