International Padel coaches are in Kenya seeking to take the game to the next level.
Led by Argentine coach Mariano Sanchez, the experts said there is an urgent need for stakeholders in the country to understand and embrace Padel Tennis, a fast-growing tennis variant.
However, Mariano, who is being hosted by businessman Dhiren Chandaria, said there is a need for investment in the sport as demand for courts beats availability in Nairobi.
Padel is a hybrid racket sport — a mix of tennis, squash and badminton.
It is faster than tennis and slower than squash.
It is played in a glass cage on artificial turf with rallies, lobs, smashes and drop shots among the common components.
Speaking during the Padel Tennis exhibition at Padel courts in Gigiri on Wednesday, Dhiren said the sport is destined for greatness even as he advocated for its introduction at the county level.
“This is one of the fastest growing sports and an amazing game too. However, the government needs to establish academies to nurture talent,” said Dhiren.
Dhiren and his daughter, Nikita Chandaria, said this capacity building will help grow the sport not only in Kenya but also across Africa.
“Other than having good academies, we need to have our coaches trained so that they can understand the rules of the game. Unlike normal tennis, this game is usually played in a fenced court with transparent glass, although rules are almost similar to those of lawn tennis,” said Dhiren.
Sanchez said training of coaches and building of Padel infrastructure in Kenya and the region is the only way to grow the sport.
“With the displays we have seen today, Kenya can go far. But this can be done only if we have good structures right from the grassroots, especially in schools to tertiary institutions,” said Sanchez.
During the exhibition, Kenya lost 4-6 6-1 6-4 to Argentina.
The next exhibitions will be at the Ngong Racecourse on Saturday and in Kibera on Sunday.
