The Padel4Good tournament served excitement, top competition and hope yet again at the latest event at the Virgin Active Padel Centre in Cape Town at the weekend.
Padel — sometimes called Padel Tennis — is a hybrid between tennis and squash and is typically played in doubles on an enclosed court slightly smaller than a traditional doubles tennis court — making it practical for beginners and seasoned racket lovers alike.
The game shares the same scoring system as tennis. The rules, strokes, ball (similar to a tennis ball, but with less pressure) and techniques differ, however, with the main difference being that the court has walls, which you can play off of, similar to squash.
The Padel4Good tournament consists of 32 players — paired into 16 teams — split into four groups, with four teams in each group. Each group competes in a round-robin format, with the top two teams from each pool progressing to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
With Padel universally referred to as the fastest growing sport in the world thanks to its 18 million participants in over 90 countries, the Padel4Good brand has jumped in on the sport's popularity and extended its reach to even those outside of the court and the spectator stands by joining forces with NPO EnrichSA and the Ryan O’Connor (ROC) Foundation to raise funds for women and children affected by abuse, gender-based violence, poverty and hunger.
Last Friday night's event in Paarden Eiland was the fifth one for the year, with three more tournaments lined up for 2023. The evening also saw a newcomer welcomed to the Padel4Good podium.
Following a hugely successful evening, which saw spectators fill up the Padel Centre, EnrichSA’s Gia Cawood hailed the athletes and supporters for the role they played in contributing to another top event.
"We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible turnout for our recent men's tournament and the unwavering support we continue to receive," she said.
"These events aren't just about the victories on the court; they're about the victories in our mission to aid women and children in need. Our tournaments are a vital part of our ongoing efforts to make a positive change, one match at a time. We are deeply thankful to all of you for being champions both on and off the court."
The next three Padel4Good events will consist of two women's and one men's tournament.
Padel4good Men’s Tournament Winners:
First Place: Michael Leach and Devon Melville
Second Place: Karl Tomlinson and Michael Barker
Plate Winners: Michael Francisco and Andrew Smith
Padel4Good Fixtures for 2023:
14th October 2023 ( Women)
IOL Sport