AN OCEAN PADEL

IN THE GLORIOUS ALGARVE, HANNAH STEPHENSON GETS TO GRIPS WITH AN EXCITING SPORT

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“OUR philosophy is friendship,” my coach declares, as he hands me a weird-looking racket with perforated holes for my first foray into padel. It’s said to be the fastest growing sport in the UK, and is also expanding in key holiday resorts.

Spain is king in this up-and-coming game that's a cross between tennis and squash and first found ground in Mexico.

But Portugal is also getting in on the action, so I've come to Pine Cliffs Luxury Collection Resort, an immense 72-hectare cliffside family-friendly enclave in the Algarve, awash with Moorish touches and Portuguese tiles - and an architectural gem of an inner courtyard in the main hotel.

It offers everything from the prestigious Annabel Croft Tennis and Padel Academy, to a nine-hole golf course, state-of-the-art gym, award-winning spa, yoga, Pilates and, more importantly, a recently expanded padel facility.

This year, due to demand, one of the tennis courts has been adapted into three padel courts to bring its total to four, complete with glass back wall and metal fencing enclosures.

Perfect for trying this sport out with my Gen-Z daughter, Grace, to see how inter-generational it is. Coach Labisa Palmera, co-founder of the first padel club in Albufeira, recalls: “It’s been a huge phenomenon in Spain and 12 years ago it went crazy in Lisbon. Now, so many people, aged eight to 80, are playing padel and you don’t need many lessons.”

It’s also a sociable game, given the generations can play together. Ideal, then, for a family holiday.

And it’s reported to be the fastest-growing racket sport in the world, with more than 25 million active players in 110 countries.

The Lawn Tennis Association says participation on home turf trebled last year, with over 400,000 players in Britain.