Not just a tennis clone: A closer look at the padel craze sweeping Manila

MANILA, Philippines – It’s 2025, and you’re looking to reinvent yourself with a new hobby. Look no further as padel has become the talk of the town.

With its growing popularity, padel offers new avenues to sweat, build relationships with people, and let loose after work or school.

Originating in Mexico, padel is a racket sport great for all ages with easy rules to pick up. The game is more about strategy and technique than strength and speed. Despite obvious parallels to tennis, padel also takes inspiration from squash, as it incorporates the glass wall into the game.    

How to play

Since the game is mainly played in pairs, you’ll need a partner and two opposing players for four athletes on the court.

The goal is to earn more points by avoiding faults. The most common is when the ball bounces twice in the opposing players’ field, earning your team a point. Its point system is similar to tennis, using 0, 15, 30, 40, advantage, and deuce in the event of a tied 40-40 score.

Some of its unique rules include serving underhand and letting the ball bounce once before hitting the serve. Its distinct playstyle lets you play off your glass to get the ball over to the opponent’s side. 

What is needed

The most crucial equipment you’ll need is a stringless padel racket. These can be found in e-commerce stores for as low as P300. A Kuikma padel Racket can be purchased in Decathlon for P2,000.

However, if you have more money to splurge, you can also buy a Head or Quad racket that goes up to P22,000, offering adjustable weight, material such as carbon fiber, and more control.

The next thing you’d need is a padel ball which is typically smaller than a tennis ball and has lower internal pressure, lessening the bounce and speed. Kuikma padel balls can also be bought in Decathlon for P200. 

Where to play

Most courts are in Metro Manila. You can play at the Manila Padel Club, which is the Philippines’ first padel location. Its first branch is at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig while its second is at Arcovia City in Pasig. 

This club offers everything from 5 courts (including a center court), an outdoor gym, group fitness classes, a cafe, and a shop where you can buy padel equipment.

Membership packages provide multiple benefits such as discounts on court bookings, 24/7 access, and priority booking. If you just want to give padel a try, you can avail of their free trial.

The club also offers rental rackets so you won’t have to purchase one immediately. Reserving one of their courts will depend on the hour of the day:

Emil Lonnqvist, a professional padel player and coach at the Manila Padel Club, describes the sport as a super competitive game with a social aspect that brings people together.

“The Manila Padel Club was the first padel location in the Philippines so the community is definitely growing, it’s getting bigger and bigger. We haven’t even scratched the surface of what padel can be in this country,” he said.

The BGC branch is also where the Philippine Padel Association, the governing body of padel in the Philippines, holds its nationwide tournaments, with the 5th Philippine National Padel Tournament concluding last May. 

Now whether you want to play casually or with a more competitive style, the inclusive and growing community is ready to accept a new member with open arms. – Rappler.com