Bucks &amp; Oxon


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/vincenzo-morelli-Cj35lHL4atY-unsplash.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-168608" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/vincenzo-morelli-Cj35lHL4atY-unsplash.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/vincenzo-morelli-Cj35lHL4atY-unsplash-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/vincenzo-morelli-Cj35lHL4atY-unsplash-400x267.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Anyone for tennis? The <a href="https://noltc.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North Oxford Lawn Tennis Club</a> (NOLTC) has been serving up aces in this department for well over a century, welcoming seasoned tennis pros and complete beginners to its open-air courts. With ten grass and nine floodlit all-weather courts for year-round playing &#8211; plus junior and competitive leagues, expert coaching, and friendly community vibes &#8211; it is THE place to be for racket sports. And just when you thought it couldn&#8217;t get any sweeter, it opens up a Padel court.</p>



<p>Said to be the fastest growing sport in Europe, the squash/tennis hybrid is taking the world by storm. Everyone from Andy Murray to the Prince and Princess of Wales have jumped on the ball-smashing bandwagon. Fun and easy to pick up (Muddy&#8217;s kind of exercise), we&#8217;re super excited that a court has opened up on our patch. No experience necessary, just pop along to NOLTC for game, bookable in 30-min slots (from £10 for non-members, from £2 for members). You can hire Padel bats and buy balls while you&#8217;re there. There are also <a href="https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/northoxfordlawntennisclub/Booking/BookByDate#?date=2024-08-13&amp;role=guest" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">club nights every Tuesday</a> to help you improve your game and meet fellow Padel people.</p>



<p>Don&#8217;t know your Padel from your Pickle? Here&#8217;s everything you need to know about the sport of the moment before booking a court and having a smash. We say: game on.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-padel">What is Padel?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="664" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/NOX-PADEL28.jpg" alt="North Oxford Lawn Tennis Club Padel court" class="wp-image-168658" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/NOX-PADEL28.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/NOX-PADEL28-800x531.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/NOX-PADEL28-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Padel is a cross between squash and tennis &#8211; but don&#8217;t let that put you off. It&#8217;s taken the best parts of both sports and polished them off with an underarm serve &#8211; praise be. Primarily played in doubles on an enclosed court a third of the size of a tennis court (meaning less running), the rules of the game are similar to tennis. Like tennis, there&#8217;s a net in the middle, except you&#8217;re allowed to use the walls (à la squash) as well as the turf to send the ball back to your opponents. It&#8217;s less about strength and power and more about fun and strategic game play: points are scored when the ball bounces twice on the competitors&#8217; side. Got it?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fun-is-the-aim-of-the-game">Fun is the aim of the game</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/sidespin-padel-ZsHEJEznWyw-unsplash.jpg" alt="girl playing Padel" class="wp-image-168610" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/sidespin-padel-ZsHEJEznWyw-unsplash.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/sidespin-padel-ZsHEJEznWyw-unsplash-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/sidespin-padel-ZsHEJEznWyw-unsplash-400x267.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>You may have only just heard about it, but Padel has actually been around for quite a while. It was invented in the Sixties by a Mexican businessman called Enrique Corcuera, who designed the game purely with fun in mind. Mr Corcuera modified his own squash court to include elements of tennis, and replaced trad tennis rackets with chunkier bats (think beach-ball rackets). The result? A more relaxed sport that allowed his guests to pair up and enjoy a game without the skill-levels (and pressure) of tennis or squash. Friends were made for life, allegiances were formed, and a love for Padel was born.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-s-good-for-you">It&#8217;s good for you</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/padel.jpg" alt="girl sat on the floor of a Padel court" class="wp-image-168607" style="aspect-ratio:1.4992503748125936;width:639px;height:auto" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/padel.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/padel-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/padel-400x267.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>It may not be as hardcore as squash or involve as much running as tennis, but Padel still packs a serious cardiovascular punch. With all the quick movements forwards, backwards and side to side, Padel is also great for your core, balance and stability as well as hand-eye coordination (who doesn&#8217;t need more help with that). And with all that ball whacking, you can say bye bye bingo wings.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-anyone-can-play">Anyone can play</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="662" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/NOX-PADEL.jpg" alt="people playing Padel at North Oxford Lawn Tennis Club" class="wp-image-168659" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/NOX-PADEL.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/NOX-PADEL-800x530.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/NOX-PADEL-400x265.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Since Padel is a team sport (usually played in doubles) with serious fun factor, kids and even the most sport-inept are all welcome on court. And since it&#8217;s a game of skill and strategy, rather than a game of strength dominated by supersonic tennis serves, Padel is ideal for men and women of all ages, from kiddies to pensioners. For the more competitive among us (you know who you are), coaching is available at <a href="https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/NorthOxfordLawnTennisClub/Coaching/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOLTC</a> every Wednesday. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-s-got-quite-the-celebrity-following">It&#8217;s got quite the celebrity following</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="780" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/David_Beckham-copy.jpg" alt="David Beckham playing Padel" class="wp-image-168788" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/David_Beckham-copy.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/David_Beckham-copy-800x624.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/David_Beckham-copy-400x312.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>It&#8217;s not just Kate, Wills and Andy Murray who are batting for Padel, the likes of Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Shakira, Eva Longoria <em>and </em>Elle McPherson have all been known to pick up a Padel bat. If it&#8217;s good enough for the A-listers, it&#8217;s good enough for us. </p>



<p><em><strong>Convinced? Don your Lululemon and get on down to <a href="https://noltc.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North Oxford Lawn Tennis Club</a>, Banbury Road North Sports Ground, 546 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 8EQ</strong></em>.</p>


More balls please! Everything you need to know about Padel

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