Welcoming Milton Keynes into the UK PADEL fold
We couldn’t be more excited that UK PADEL is coming to Milton Keynes this autumn after the City Council granted planning permission for a brand new six-court venue (two open-air, four indoors) in the popular Willen Lake complex, a destination renowned locally for its walking trails, water sports, cafés and open green spaces. This venue becomes our fifth club in England, and fourth in Buckinghamshire alone, and we’ll be providing picture-led updates every two weeks in a new How to Build a Padel Club feature. That will be an integral feature of the 15:30 newsletter as we count down to the grand opening (exact date to be confirmed).
Remember, a single UK PADEL membership is all you need to enjoy access to all our club facilities. So if you are already a member at any other club of ours that will automatically extend to Milton Keynes when the time comes. That process of course applies to prospective new members too. If MK will be your local club, sign up to Princes Risborough, Holmer Green or Stoke Poges now, and then you’re all set for the autumn.
Padel: Rebuilding Male Friendships
Clubs Director Phil Cornhill writes: “There’s a quiet crisis happening in the lives of many men: the footballer who was the best in his school year, the tennis player who competed at junior level and those who just love sport for its recreational values. As life gets in the way, sport disappears from their life, and with it, the easy camaraderie of a shared passion. Padel, more than almost any other sport emerging right now, is providing an outlet for these people to get back into sport. It welcomes a cross-generational mix and helps people rebuild old friendships or find new ones. You don’t need to be fit. You don’t need to be good. You just need to show up, and enjoy one of the most accessible sports that exists.”
Charity Event Hits New Highs
In what is fast becoming one of the landmark events of the year, the UK PADEL Charity Championships returned to Padium in Canary Wharf yesterday, and we’re proud to say more than £10,000 was raised for Great Ormond Street Hospital. We’re very grateful to our sponsors Alpha FMC, Brooks Macdonald, Portfolio Ventures, Fulcrum AM and Transperfect Legal for their wonderful support, and of course for everyone who entered a team, of which there were 20 in all. In addition to the main competition, clinched by Jesters 1 in an epic tussle with the younger duo representing Rushton Rulos (which went to overtime), there was also a fun 10-point challenge throughout the day and an exhibition match at the end.
Your Rallies: Best of the Action
Boris Becker, eat your heart out! Our first clip rounding up the best action from our courts over the past two weeks features a lad diving one way and then the other in homage to the German grasscourt ace from the 1980s. (Sadly, he’s then let down by his partner netting a simple overhead smash.) Unbelievably, the following clip also features a double-diver. Plus, look out for the cheekiest half-volley drop shot you’ll ever see and a simply glorious down-the-line passing shot.
Padel Takes Centre Stage at the UN
Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) and partners hosted a landmark United Nations event in Geneva yesterday focused on empowering women and girls through sport. The gathering threw a spotlight on the professionalisation and international growth of women’s padel. Industry leaders reported on progress in terms of financial sustainability, increased media exposure, and stronger support structures for female padel players. Key progress highlighted included the news that there is now equal prize money in roughly 90% of major tournaments, alongside equal venue access.
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