With the opening of courts at the Coldharbour Leisure Centre by a firm funded by Andy Murray, residents of Mottingham may now give the rapidly expanding sport of padel a go.
The doubles game employs a smaller court and a lighter ball, combining features of badminton, squash, and tennis. Roger Federer, Martina Hingis, Maria Sharapova, and tennis stars Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are among those who participate in the sport.
Murray and his brother Jamie are among the investors in Game4Padel, a company that has partnered with Better, the borough’s entertainment provider, to launch the first location in the center on Chapel Farm Road.
Better already operates padel courts in the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in south London, and as its popularity increases, it plans to build more.
Bookings made before June 16 will receive a 50% discount from the center, and later in the summer, Game4Padel will host an open weekend featuring complimentary trial sessions on both courts.
