Tennis isn’t the only racquet sport, think beach tennis, swing and pickleball Private tennis

“Experience absolute happiness on the sand’’, this is how Arend van Triest describes the sport to which he has devoted his heart. As a beach tennis coordinator at KNLTB, who also loves to hit the ball himself, he often feels the sand between his toes in summer. Or between his teeth, after he He made an amazing dive to save a point.

She plays beach tennis with a small paddle or paddle (similar to a paddle racket) and an orange-yellow tennis ball. It must hit directly above the net and not touch the ground. So quick reactions are essential. This sport is often played as a doubles game, that is, with two against two. Scoring is very similar to tennis, the court has the same dimensions as a beach volleyball court (8 x 16 metres) and the net is 1.70 meters high.

Not an official requirement, but a must for the atmosphere: a portable radio or speaker with gentle beach music. Because although beach tennis is an official sport that falls under the supervision of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), it is mainly about having fun in this summer activity, which has more than a million players in Brazil. ‘Because of the beach setting and the low threshold of the sport, it’s very easy to meet other players,’ says van Triest, a multiple Dutch champion. “Perfect for someone who can’t lie down on a towel.”

Does Padel need any introduction? Not so long ago you had to explain to the Dutch that you don’t pronounce the sport’s name as “pèddel” but as “pá-dèl”, the functions now sound like mushrooms. Two years ago, there were 470 playgrounds in our country, distributed over 206 sites, now there are 1,630 (!) On 460 sites. With Meet & Play of the KNLTB, you can search and book a job in every county.

Why has this combination of tennis and squash become so popular in such a short time? Unpredictability, Frank Nearing believes. “Padel’s surprising influence gives the sport an added dimension,” said KNLTB’s Padel Program Director. “In the cage you have to be ready for anything. The ball moves differently every time, and when you think you’ve been hit, you unexpectedly get a second chance, for example through the help of the walls. But the cage fence also plays a role in the game and you can even Bring the ball back completely out of the cage.”

Padel, which originated in Mexico in the late 1960s, has millions of players in major countries like Spain and Argentina. You can play it on a walled land measuring 10 by 20 metres. The paddle racket is smaller and thicker than a tennis racket and you can send your own paddle ball under the net to your opponent. Neering: It’s surprisingly easy to learn, even if you have no racketeering experience. ”

A touch of badminton, a bit of tennis and table tennis: that’s what pickleball is. The sport originated on a summer day in 1965, when three American friends wanted to play badminton but couldn’t find the rackets. All they had was a badminton net, a plastic ball with holes in it, and homemade wooden table tennis rackets. Maybe it worked…?

The impromptu pastime in those days had grown into a mature sport with 9 million practitioners in the United States. In the Netherlands, where pickleball was first played exactly ten years ago, there are more than 500, but that number is growing rapidly. This is partly because of the accessibility of the sport, says Corinne Wagner, KNLTB’s pickleball co-host. “It’s suitable for all ages, quick to learn, and all you need is a pair of shoes.”

There are now about 30 sites and groups in our country where you can play pickleball and each group has rackets (racquets) that you can use if you want to participate. This also makes sports cheap for everyone. The racket has a short handle, the ball is light, and the field is smaller than in tennis. Game can play soon. Exactly as in 1965.