First Padel Courts Open Near Arebbusch Travel Lodge in Windhoek

First Padel Courts Open Near Arebbusch Travel Lodge in Windhoek

Windhoek, Namibia – On 21 April 2024, Windhoek became the home of Namibia’s first four padel courts. Located on the corner of Sean McBride and Tennis Street, Olympia, the new courts are just over a kilometre from Arebbusch Travel Lodge, adding another dimension to the diversity of activities close to the privately owned lodge and rest camp.

According to their website, Namibia Padel is collaborating with their partners, Transworld Cargo, Precient Investment Management and FutureMedia, to introduce padel to Swakopmund, Lüderitz, and Walvis Bay.

What Is Padel?

Easy to learn, highly social, fun and accessible to those of all ages and ability, Padel is a mix of tennis and squash that originated in Mexico in 1969. It started out as a backyard game of tennis among friends played on a much smaller court than usual. The inconvenience of overshot balls making their way into neighbouring properties meant the court was eventually enclosed. Ultimately, the friends incorporated the walls into game play and set up new rules for their matches. So, padel become a sport on its own.

It has since become one of the world’s fastest growing sports with slightly more formal rules. Participants play on an enclosed court measuring 20 metres long by 10 metres wide with glass walls.

Similar to a tennis court layout without tramlines, the court is divided into two halves by a net measuring 88cm in the middle, rising to 92cm on the sides. The middle of the field is demarcated with a line, with another line placed three metres from the back to designate the service area.

The rules are similar to those of tennis, except you can bounce the ball off any surface including the glass walls and players always serve underarm. Players can use the back and side walls which results in longer rallies than in tennis and play shots before or after the ball bounces.

In Padel, you win points based on strategy rather than power and strength and it’s easy to learn. This means all players of all ages, fitness levels, and genders can play together.

This inclusive, laid-back format makes it easier to put a game together and fun for everyone which accounts for the sport’s addictive nature and rapid growth.

Most padel courts are designed for doubles play with two players on each side. The speed of the game makes singles play difficult but there are a few courts around the world designed specifically for singles. At this time, the Windhoek courts don’t cater for single play but will be updated in the near future.

Padel Equipment

Padel rackets look like tennis rackets with no strings. They’re made from a foam core covered in fiberglass, carbon fibre, or graphene. There are perforations in the racquet to help reduce its weight.

Padel balls are low compression tennis balls which are softer and bounce lower than regular tennis balls.

Players can buy padel shoes or play in tennis shoes or other types of sports shoes as long as they’re comfortable and easy to run in. You should wear comfortable athletic clothing for your game of padel.

Getting Started with Padel

Namibia padel offers private coaching sessions for those who want to learn the intricacies of padel, but it’s easy to learn the game as you go without any formal lessons.

Those who want to try out padel in Windhoek should sign up on the website and download the app to book their games and pay for them. You can hire racquets and balls when you arrive or purchase your own at the onsite Pro-shop.

Rates for Hiring Padel Courts in Windhoek

The regular rate for padel is N$460 per hour split amongst the players, so you pay N$115 per person for an hour’s play. You can also book a court for an hour and a half for N$690.

Hiring a racket costs N$50 per person per game and balls cost N$90 for a can of three balls.

Discounts apply for games booked between 7 am and 5 pm on weekdays, with pensioners and children under eighteen enjoying substantial savings during this time. These off-peak rates are particularly attractive for those visiting Arebbusch Travel Lodge while on holiday.

Visit the Namibia Padel website for more information or to book a game and speak to our reception staff at Arebbusch Travel Lodge, should you need assistance with directions.

Book Your Padel Games Today

All of us at Arebbusch Travel Lodge are thrilled by this new development of Padel in Namibia, which gives our guests and business travellers access to even more opportunities for enjoyment while visiting our city.

It’s just another reason to book your stay at Arebbusch Travel Lodge while planning  your Namibia travels.

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