Bouncing off the walls! A kids' guide to padel tennis

What is PADEL?? (Or Padel Tennis)

Theo's Free Talk Sentences:   

1.)  I see a boy and a girl.

2.)  They are playing tennis.

3.)  They are wearing T-shirts.

4.)  The tennis court is blue.

5.)  I like padel tennis because it is fun!

Angela's Free Talk Sentences:   

1.)  I can see a woman, and she is playing tennis.

2.)  I can see a man, and he is hitting the ball.

3.)  The tennis court is blue.

4.)  I see tennis balls.

5.)  I see a tennis racket.

6.)  I like tennis because it is interesting!  

7.)  The video was similar to a comic book.

8.)  The boy and girl in the video are comic book characters.

9.)  Angela says, you have to be strong in order to play padel tennis!

What is padel tennis?

Padel is a fast and fun racket sport that’s taking the world by storm. It’s a mix between tennis and squash, played on a smaller court with walls that are part of the game. That’s right, you can hit the ball off the walls!

Padel is usually played in doubles (two players on each team), and it’s easy to learn, even if you’ve never played tennis before.

Where did it come from?

Padel started in Mexico in the 1960s. A man named Enrique Corcuera wanted a tennis court at his home, but didn’t have enough space. So, he built a smaller one with walls around it, and padel was born!

The sport quickly spread to Spain and Argentina, where it became hugely popular. Today, Spain is one of the world’s biggest padel countries, with more padel players than tennis players!

How do you play?

A padel court is about one-third the size of a tennis court. It has a net, just like in tennis, but the court is surrounded by glass and metal fences.

Players use smaller, solid rackets, not the kind with strings like in tennis and squash. The ball looks like a tennis ball, but it’s a bit softer.

You serve underarm, and you can play the ball off the walls. The scoring is the same as tennis: 15, 30, 40, game.

The goal? Hit the ball over the net and into your opponents’ side of the court. If they miss it or hit it wrong, you win the point!

Why is padel so popular?

Here are a few reasons kids (and adults) love padel:

• It’s easy to learn. You don’t need to be super strong or fast to play.
• It’s social. Most games are doubles, so you’re always playing with friends.
• It’s fast-paced. The walls keep the ball in play, so it’s exciting and quick!
• It’s growing fast. Padel courts are popping up in cities all over the world.

Even famous footballers like Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimović have their own padel clubs!

Article vocabulary list

• Racket – A tool used to hit the ball in sports like tennis or padel.
• Court – The area where a sport is played.
• Doubles – A game where two players are on each team.
• Serve – The way to start a point in tennis or padel.
• Underarm – A type of serve where the ball is hit with an upward swing.
• Scoring – The system used to keep track of points in a game.
• Fast-paced – Happening quickly, with lots of action.
• Walls – The glass or metal sides of a padel court that the ball can bounce off.
• Popular – Liked by many people.
• Club – A place where people meet to play sports or do activities.

Comprehension questions

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