There’s a new game making a racket in the sports world right now. Padel courts are springing up in warehouses, parks and tennis clubs across the country. But what makes this fast-paced, caged cross between tennis and squash such a sensation?

I must admit that having played tennis for more than half my life, I was at first sceptical of padel, quickly moving past it whenever it popped up on my Instagram and Twitter feeds, or when a friend occasionally asked me to fill a fourth place on the court. There’s no skill in this mimicry, this dumbed-down version of tennis. Surely, it’s far too easy. Surely I’d be wasting my time. That’s what I thought. But I was wrong.

I finally succumbed to the hundreds of Instagram reels and increasing noise my non-tennis friends were making about the sport. A court booking on the popular Playtomic app, ten pounds gone from my pocket and an hour and a half later, I was gripped by the sport and left the court smiling and sweating.

“It truly feels like a proper workout”

I found that the game perfectly lends itself to beginners who, with basic hand-eye coordination, can have long and fun rallies. Although frustratingly perplexed every time my opponent managed to pin me in the corner and bounce the ball off the glass, after a couple of hours of gameplay it started to click more. With the ball in play for a long time, your heart rate does stay high and it truly feels like a proper workout.

Appeal is wide: it is a sport that caters for all ages, shapes and sizes. Typically played in doubles with scoring the same as tennis, the glass-enclosed courts keep the ball in play for long periods where players attempt to drop-shot, volley, slice and smash their way to winning points. Topspin is used much more scarcely than in tennis because of the court’s smaller size and the racket’s solid faces, which grip the ball less. While some racket sport experience may help, you need not have played any sport before to pick it up quickly.

Initially played in Mexico in the late 1960s, padel developed into a popular pastime in Argentina, Spain, Portugal, and even Sweden. Its countries of origin still dominate at the sport today, with results in professional competition reflecting this. In warmer climates the game is typically played outdoors, however the option to play away from the rain exists also; disused and renovated warehouses make for excellent padel centres.

A popular business proposition, approximately three padel courts fit in the same space as a single tennis court and as a result the return on investment is much faster. The expense, often the best part of £100,000, has been occasionally reflected in court prices. In central London at peak time, centres have charged upwards of £100 for an hour booking. Despite this, prices in most areas remain reasonable and accessible for most.

“The University has implemented a couple of initiatives to further this interest”

Padel’s accessibility and hype has helped it boom with more than 1,000 courts nationwide and nearly half a million players. Recently taking flight here in Cambridge too, two courts were completed at the University Sports Centre at the beginning of the last academic year. Demand for the courts has been good, with bookings at peak times reasonably difficult to come by.

The University has implemented a couple of initiatives to further the interest in the sport. WhatsApp groups, where players can find players of a similar ability to themselves, are freely available to join on the Sports Centre’s website. Friendly leagues have also been established to foster some competition between students, and free ‘Give it a Go’ sessions are part of the Sports Centre’s drive to introduce people to sports they have never tried before.

Bookings can be made through the CamUni Sport app, and a monthly membership option is available for discounted and priority court bookings. Could we maybe see a Cambridge team entered in the nationwide, university BUCS league in the near future?

If you are in doubt about playing like I was, or if your friends try to organise a social game, give it a go and I promise if you aren’t addicted by the end of your hour, you will have at least had a good workout. Padel’s here to stay – and for good reason.