Tag: https://www.spain.info/

Countries, Europe, Sport

Power to the padel and the new Wimbledon

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We always like to be there at the birth of a new phenomenon so we say power to the padel and the new Wimbledon.

It was lights out, all out, this past week as London took its place on the Formula 1-style Premier Padel calendar.

Padel, described to us in Portugal as the child that tennis and squash would have begotten, has taken Britain by storm this summer.

Towering ambitiion: For padel

And 20,000 padel fans, new and old, have filed through Olympia to see padel’s finest put through their paces.

And with the type of flair and salesmanship you would expect from the Saudis who are championing the event.

Padel Pedro

Bat’s the way to do it: Champion padel players

 

Sela chief growth officer Luke Lloyd-Davies predicted: ‘My hope would be it could become a Wimbledon of padel.

‘It is all up for being shaped and discussed with Premier Padel and with the Lawn Tennis Association.’

Padel’s popularity has long been enjoyed in the Iberian peninsula.

Where it is even more popular than tennis and the second highest participation sport after football.

Padel’s beauty is, of course, in its simplicity.

Keeeeep dancin’: With Judy Murray in Portugal

With its underarm serve, smaller enclosed court and glass walls keep rallies alive longer.

The underarm serve, smaller enclosed court, and glass walls keeping rallies alive longer.

And making it simple for beginners including this tyro in Quinto do Lago in Portugal.

Armed then with the tennis skills passed on to me by Judy Murray (only the best).

Padel prices

In the swing: It’s catching on

Its accessibility too makes it a clear winner with Spain and Portuguese courts costing between €6 and €20.

Meaning at its optimum only €5 for the four of you.

Ideal for couples and families on holiday.

Compared to the £100 it could cost you around London. 

Just a nod there to the padel people who are trying to hit me up here for a donation for a court around East Lothian.

Although they might want to sign me up as a professional.

 

 

 

Africa, Countries, Europe, Sport

Bring on the 2030 World Cup and Spain, Portugal and Morocco

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And by the time you read this it will be all over so bring on the 2030 World Cup and Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

Which we would suggest, Mexico excepting, is ‘football coming home’ to the Old World.

And closer, and less expensive, for those of us who live in the tip of an island in the North of Europe.

A Nou experience

Barca legends: Messi is still everywhere

Now Spain, Portugal and Morocco are loco about their football as we have discovered first hand.

When we helicoptered over Barcelona (is there any other way?) and gasped at the sight of the Nou Camp.

Only to be told by the pilot that that was the reserve side’s ground.

While Jose, our Special One guide, in Portugal explained.

That under the dictator Salazar he ran the country by the Three Fs… Football, Fado and Fatima.

Portugal’s secular God

Spell it out: Cristiano Ronaldo

All of which became clearer in that Marian site when meeting the niece of one of the Little Shepherds (as you do) in the porch of her house.

And seeing that among the stands of holy relics and statues of Our Lady what stood out was…

A beach towel of Portugal’s secular God, one Cristiano Ronaldo.

Now we’ve flagged up already this year how the AFCON tournament held in Morocco was pitched.

At the kind of prices that would buy you a hot dog and a beer at the WC.

Although once Gianni Infantino gets his claws into that we expect tagines and mint teas to surge in price.

Shirt hits fan in Morocco

Flying the flag: For Morocco

While you’ll have to have your wits about you when it comes to bartering.

Again which we found out to our cost when buying the oblig national football team’s shirt in Jemaa el-Fnaa in Marrakech.

Now if you’re reading this in South America, you’ve got the consolation of having single games in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.

A nod to the centenary of the first competition held in Fray Bentos land back in 1930.

All that’s left now is to pull down the 48 flag bunting from the garden fence.

Who knows who’ll be on it in four years’ time but we do know should Scotland get there then they’ll do it the hard way.