Ripon padel tennis courts given the go-ahead

Plans for two new padel tennis courts in Ripon have been given the go-ahead.

The proposal will see the new courts, plus canopies and flood lighting, built at Ripon Tennis Centre on Park Lane.

The centre will become the latest padel venue in the Harrogate district as the popularity of the sport increases.

Ripon Tennis Centre said in documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council that the proposal would help to improve facilities.

It said:

“Ripon Tennis Centre are keen to provide these facilities as part of the ongoing improvement to the club which will be enjoyed by all age ranges and can be played on throughout the year.”

Boom in popularity

Padel tennis has seen a boom in popularity in recent years, including in the Harrogate district.

The sport is played between four players on reduced sized tennis courts. Competitors use paddle racquets and can bounce the ball off walls.

As well as the Ripon centre, a court is planned for Hornbeam Park which is earmarked for six dedicated courts.

Meanwhile, Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre on Hookstone Wood Road saw an increase in demand for the sport during the first covid lockdown.

Read More:

The local boom has been reflected across the country.

With more than 6.000 padel players in the UK, according to the Lawn Tennis Association, the sport is one of the fastest growing in the country.

The new sport taking the Harrogate district by storm

A relatively new sport that is a cross between tennis and squash is taking the Harrogate district by storm.

Padel is played between four players on reduced sized tennis courts. Competitors use paddle racquets and can bounce the ball off walls.

Nicky Horn, a Harrogate coach who has played the sport for 10 years, said she has seen a remarkable amount of interest in the sport in recent months.

She pointed to courts being built at Hornbeam Park in Harrogate, which is expected to see six new dedicated courts, and planned new courts at Ripon Tennis Club as an example of its booming demand.

Since the first covid lockdown, Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre has also seen high demand for its padel courts on Hookstone Wood Road.

A game of padel tennis in Harrogate.

A game of padel tennis in Harrogate.

Nicky said she expects to see padel’s popularity increase further over the next five years now that the Lawn Tennis Association oversees the sport.

She said:

“It’s really taking off.

“It’s a reasonably accessible sport because the players can hit the ball easier.”

‘Largest female padel tennis match’

Nicky played padel in Spain before returning to Harrogate to take up two teams. She currently coaches Harrogate and Rawdon on a Monday and Saturday.

Read more:

Last weekend, the two teams got together to play a game which Nicky believes was the largest female padel match in the UK.

Despite the cold conditions, 32 players, who ranged from eight-years-old to 80, turned up to take part as Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre.

Nicky said:

“Everyone had lots of fun.

“Some of our players were squash players and some were tennis players, but everybody loved it.”

6,000 players in the UK

The local boom has been reflected across the country.

With more than 6.000 padel players in the UK, according to the LTA, the sport is one of the fastest growing in the country.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Ballon D’or winning footballer, Lionel Messi, are also reported to be players of the sport.

Here are 10 facts you might not know about padel, from the LTA: