It’s no secret that we Jews are not at our most comfortable on a sports field. Rugby? We’ll pass, thanks. Basketball? We might fall a bit short. And football? Well, Barry Silkman did play for Manchester City in ’79. We do swim, but mainly in a pool in Marbella. So the ‘field’ was wide open to sporting temptation. Entering from the baseline came padel tennis – a social, strategic sport sweeping through Jewish circles faster than a rugelach disappearing at a Kiddush.
Padel fever has captured the community – and nation. 2025 is on target to be the sport’s biggest year yet. With courts springing up across the country and players scrambling to book slots, padel, (pronounced “paddle”), has gone from a holiday hobby to a widespread obsession.
Its winning mix of fast-paced play and doubles camaraderie has players of all ages and abilities picking up a racket. Among the game’s celebrity fans are sports stars David Beckham, Serena Williams and Lionel Messi, comedians Michael McIntyre and Jason Manford and actor Eva Longoria.
For those who have yet to pick up a padel (it probably won’t be long before they do), the game that is now outpacing tennis in Spain and other countries and is the second-most played sport after football, is a fusion of tennis and squash.
The global padel industry is expected to triple to $6 billion by 2026
Played in an enclosed court (smaller than tennis and bigger than squash), it is typically a doubles game, with players hitting a ball (similar to tennis but less pumped up) over a net with the added fun of the walls being in play.
Originating in Mexico in the 1960s before taking off in Spain, where many Jews first discovered it on their summer holidays, padel has exploded in popularity in recent years and we are among the most enthusiastic adopters joining more than 30 million amateur players worldwide. The first UK courts were built by David Lloyd Leisure in 2011 and are now popping up at an incredible pace – from 40 in 2019 to more than 500 today.
Padel Pod founder Jonny Magnus with comedian Michael McIntyre, a regular at Padel Pod, Crouch End
Among the court builders is Jonny Magnus, the founder of Padel Pod, which is on a mission to revolutionise the UK’s padel scene by creating accessible, community-focused clubs across the country.
Last year, Jonny launched Padel Pod’s debut site in Crouch End, north London, which quickly became a hub for Jewish players. He will imminently open indoor courts in Shenley, Hertfordshire, and the Hackney Wick Padel Pod is on target to open later this year.
Still exploring potential UK sites (particularly in areas with large Jewish populations), Jonny, 43, believes the sport’s inclusivity, coupled with its fun and social nature, is the reason why it’s been a hit with the community. “Jewish people love to socialise and community is a big part of the culture – this aligns perfectly with padel, which is all about playing with other people. Oh, and not forgetting the FOMO (fear of missing out)!” he jokes.
Jonny hopes to have 23 courts in operation by the end of 2025 and a total of 12 Padel Pod ‘micro clubs’ over the next five years. Each club will feature four or five courts either indoor, or outdoor under canopies, alongside essential facilities. “It’s about building cool, accessible places to play. We want to create great spaces with no frills, just good courts, and a strong community vibe.” Padel Pod also runs summer camps for children and tournaments for players of all ages.
Jonny discovered padel while he was living in Lisbon during the pandemic. “A French guy walked past me with his padel racket and I had to ask what it was. We got chatting and he invited me to play and, from there, I was hooked.” Jonny returned to the UK in 2023 and saw an opportunity to bring the fast-growing sport to British shores. “I knew it would do well here, but it was about finding the right time.”
By January 2024, he had teamed up with top UK padel coach Toby Bawden, also the owner of courtbuilding business Hexa Padel, and Padel Corner, an online retailer, before opening Crouch End, where comedian Michael McIntyre is a regular. “I popped into the club one day and saw Michael on the court playing with his son and a friend and his son. One of the things that’s so great about padel is how accessible it is for all ages and different abilities. Anyone can play with anyone.”
The global padel industry is projected to triple from $2 billion (£1.6bn) in 2023 to $6bn by 2026, according to The Global Padel Report 2023, published by Playtomic and Deloitte. Tennis supremo Novak Djokovic has even cautioned that it could usurp his sport’s top spot.
Ilana Epstein playing at David Lloyd Bushey
Husband and wife Daniel and Ilana Epstein have been playing padel for the past few years. They try to play several times a week at David Lloyd in Bushey, and say they now prefer it to tennis. “I used to play tennis but hadn’t in years, then everyone was talking about padel so I gave it a go, which was the best and worst thing, as I am now completely addicted,” says Ilana, 49, who runs her own post-production script services company. “I would play every day if I could. It’s fun, sociable, unisex and great for all ages. I’ve met so many people through it.
Daniel Epstein (left) playing at David Lloyd Bushey
Daniel, 56, a partner at TK International estate agency, feels like he is “getting more cardio out of it than tennis as it’s faster-paced”.
He says it is a “great way” to stay fit as you age. “I used to run, but I’ve had to cut back due to my knees. This, however, is much gentler (on the knees) and still keeps me active.”
Daniel is part of a growing David Lloyd padel WhatsApp group full of players looking for games. Yet is the rapid growth now outpacing the availability of courts? “Members of clubs are struggling to find available slots,” notes Daniel, with Ilana adding that David Lloyd players are setting their alarms to book courts.
Mum-of-three Sarah Rubin is a more recent convert. “I’ve only been playing since December but I’m hooked.” Sarah joined a ladies’ social group at The Padel Hub in Whetstone, which has become an increasingly popular indoor location for the Jewish community’s north London ‘paddlers’, who include James Lazarus, a 42-year-old father-of-three.
James Lazarus playing with friends at The Padel Hub in Whetstone, north London
His love for the game was rekindled during a recent family holiday to Spain. “I played it years ago but we were at a resort this summer with courts and I started playing daily with other people.”
When he returned home, he couldn’t stop raving about it to his friends. “We set up a WhatsApp group just for padel, then more and more groups popped up. I’m now on five or six with people looking for others to play with. I also got my wife involved. She loves it too. It’s bizarrely addictive.”
Jacob Brand with Arsenal footballer Jorginho at The Padel Hub, Whetstone
The padel craze is also spreading to university campuses, where students are trading study breaks for rallies.
Jacob Brand, 20, is studying business management and entrepreneurship at Nottingham Trent and plays three or four times a week at the National Tennis Centre in Nottingham or on the courts near the Notts County football ground. He says: “I got hooked about two years ago.” For Jacob, the appeal lies in both the social and competitive elements. “It’s a great way to stay active with friends. Otherwise, we would probably just be sitting around doing what students usually do.”
If you fancy a game, a quick search on Google, the Lawn Tennis Association website or on the Playtomic or Padel Mates apps will throw up many options. With the sport set to debut at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, there may just be time for you to be that Jewish presence on the court.
Candice Krieger picks up a padel
Last month I took to the courts for the first time to see what all the fuss was about. Four of us played at The Padel Hub in Whetstone, which has become a popular north London venue. Arsenal midfielder Jorginho played there shortly after us.
The scoring is just like tennis: games, sets, 15/0, 30/0, 40/0, and so on…We played “golden deuce” where the winner of the next point after deuce wins the game. There is also the option of a silver deuce and bronze deuce, but we weren’t quite ready to overcomplicate things just yet.
The main difference is the walls – they’re part of the game. Hence tennis meets squash, with a bit of added chaos. You can hit the ball off the glass wall, but if it hits the wall before bouncing first, it’s out, and if you’re hitting it back after it’s hit the wall, it can’t bounce first.
As someone who grew up playing tennis, it took a little bit of getting used to. Serving is underarm – less topspin, more slice. Placement and control are key. The racket? Short-handled and no strings – somewhere in between a tennis racket and table tennis bat.
The game was fast-paced, comical at times. There was a lot of: “Sorry, sorry!” whether we missed the ball, ducked to avoid our partner’s swings, hit the net, or left it for our partner while yelling: “Yours!”– only to watch it bounce past the both of us.
The real winner was probably the ball, which at times managed to escape the court entirely. But despite all the apologies and mishaps, there were also lots of laughs and even time for the odd quick schmooze between points. I loved it (it really is fun) and within a few hours of my first rodeo, I had arranged another game, joined a padel WhatsApp group and tried to book onto a padel social. Fully booked.
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