The sport of Padel has seen a major growth in popularity in recent months with the strong possibility of courts being constructed in Oranmore in the near future.
Padel is a racket sport typically played in doubles on an enclosed court slightly smaller than a doubles tennis court.
Scoring is the same as normal tennis, and the balls used are similar but with a little less pressure. The main differences are that the court has walls and the balls can be played off them in a similar way as in the game of squash and that solid, stringless bats are used. The height of the ball being served must be at or below the waist level.
Barry Coffey is the President of the Irish Padel Association and he spoke to John Mulligan about the sport and its growth in popularity.
