PICKLEBALL PADDLES

Have you tried the PickleBall?

As lovers of racket sports that we are at Onlytenis, we could not miss this opportunity to share with you this fun sport that is growing like wildfire in Spain, and we would also like you to tell us about your experience.

For those of you who haven't discovered it yet, it is a racket sport that combines elements of paddle tennis, tennis, ping-pong and badminton and according to our own experience it is very fun, easy to learn and addictive. His hitting is very similar to that of tennis and the dynamics of the game too, the physical and technical demand is lower than that of other sports, and we think that, like paddle tennis in its beginnings, that is the key to its growth. As it happens in all this type of sports, the rhythm of the game and the demand will grow as we improve, and it makes it perfect for all audiences. The rules are not complex at all, most of the time PickleBall is played in doubles, although it can also be played individually. We have tried it in doubles, and it has been a lot of fun. Don't you think it's a great way to get exercise back into your life in an easy and fun way?

The Birth of Pickleball

This sport was born in the United States some years ago back in 1965 in the state of Washington, where it emerged by chance as family entertainment, today it is the fastest growing sport in the United States. Originally, a badminton court was used and the sports equipment at the time were wooden paddles that were wider than those for ping-pong and the ball they decided to use was made of perforated plastic. The rules established by the founders were mainly taken from badminton and in the first place the net was placed at the height of the badminton one, and later they lowered it to 91.5 centimeters. They created a game where the whole family could participate, and today it is a great success.

What are the keys to your success?Why is Pickleball becoming so popular?

It has been shown that these are the main keys to its success:

• Anyone can play it. It is easy to start playing, its rules are easy, the requirement is very basic and this means that both young people and older people can start in this sport. Also, as you play the game, it becomes very addictive and competitive. The level of frustration is minimal thanks to the ease of assimilating it from the first moment.

• It is suitable for more expert players. If you already practice racket sports before, you will assimilate the rules very quickly, and you will have a lot of fun competing for the addition that it creates and the long rallies that take place. As the pace of the game increases, its tactical and strategic difficulty increases.

• Considered a healthy sport. You will realize from the first moment that you work on agility, coordination, reflexes and balance. It is perfect to exercise your body and mind differently.

What do we need to start playing?

You are wondering what the material is like to start playing pickleball, and we will tell you, the racket is usually made of wood or a high-tech composite material that behaves like wood, and you can find pickleball rackets on the market with prices between €20 and €200. In the technical section, the standard says that the combined length and width cannot exceed 61 cm and there are no restrictions regarding thickness and weight. There are some types of rackets that, due to the effect they give, are prohibited by the International Pickleball Federation (https://www.pickleballspain.org /official-regulation/).

The official ball is made of plastic and its dimensions are 7 to 7.5 centimeters in diameter and weigh between 22 and 26 grams. Regarding the color there are no restrictions and in this link you can consult the regulation balls according to the IFP (International Pickleball Federation) - https://equipment.usapickleball.org/ball-list/.