Building MK: Why We’re Including Singles Courts

As preparations continue ahead of the opening of our new Milton Keynes club, you may be wondering why the venue will offer singles courts, as well as the more traditional doubles offering. Well, we already have singles courts in Newquay and Holmer Green, and after a slow initial pick-up we have a regular singles league in Cornwall, while in Holmer Green almost everyone has ended up enjoying singles far more than they expected. Players often find singles is a reset button – a way to rebuild the fundamentals that doubles lets you paper over. We encourage members stuck in a rut to book a singles court as training in disguise.

Milton Keynes is the perfect next chapter. Padel is brand new to the area, much like it was at Newquay, and singles courts solve a very practical problem. You only need two players to get on court, not four. You book the court rather than paying per person, and for introducing children and families to the game it’s a format that’s hard to beat. Both the open-air courts will be singles courts, with the four doubles courts under cover. We’re giving people options!

Phil Cornhill: How to Build a Successful Club

UK PADEL clubs director Phil Cornhill has been on the Ball Slaps podcast, in an episode called How to Build a Successful Padel Club. With typical passion, and demonstrating his love for the sport, he explains what makes our clubs feel different – packed courts, strong communities, and good vibes. Phil draws on UK PADEL’s roots from two courts in Holmer Green to the club network it has become today, expanding on the inclusive culture at its heart, where everyone’s welcome regardless of ability, experience or age. The conversation also covers ratings, club culture, growing the game, and why community matters more than ego. Stick around for a musical tribute at the end too – fun for anyone familiar with his infamous cheesy playlist. It’s well worth a watch, particularly if you’re still on the fence about joining a UK PADEL club.

Your Rallies: Best of the Action

As usual, we have a selection of magic and memorable moments for you to enjoy, starting with a lengthy rally ended by an evil shot right into the corner. Next, a nasty net-cord seems to spell danger, but a brilliant recovery produces a down-the-line winner. Number three is a wonderful rally that ends with a player collapsing to the floor, creased up in giggles, and number two shows a left-hander being rewarded for some impressive dexterity. As for the last clip, you’ll just have to click on the link to find out more!

Padel and Tennis: Rivals or Partners?

As the action continues apace at Wimbledon, with every court now benefiting from high-quality live streams on the BBC, it’s interesting (and a little ironic) to see a recent piece in The Conversation setting the astonishing growth of padel alongside the worries expressed by some in tennis. The article references Novak Djokovic’s view that “on a club level, tennis is endangered” because of padel’s popular appeal. But remember lawn tennis itself was once a young upstart to the then established racket sport of real tennis. The writer concludes: “Both sports attract specialists, but the grassroots need not be a battleground. Club players can enjoy both, and revel in how padel allows them to deepen their existing racket skills to tackle a fresh sporting challenge, to follow a more varied sporting diet and to belong to a vibrant new sporting community.”