Sun City joins worldwide padel craze with world-class facility

Addictive racket sport now offered at SA’s favourite Resort

The squash-tennis hybrid sport of padel has built a huge fan base as the craze for the game has swept the globe, and now, South Africa’s iconic Sun City Resort offers guests the chance to dominate the court.

“Sun City is proud to boast four brand-new outdoor doubles padel courts, along with a reception area, Pro Shop, coffee shop and ablutions at a total development cost of R8-million. Once again we are demonstrating that we understand what visitors want and always create the latest and best entertainment for our guests,” said Sun City General Manager Brett Hoppé.

With more than 25 million players in the world as of 2023, according to the International Padel Federation, South Africans have not been left behind on the fast-paced racket sport, which has its origins in Mexico.

World-class padel facilities

The Sun International resort joins a limited list of hotels which offer the sport on site.

“With padel known for being a relaxed sport which is extremely social, it is a perfect fit for Sun City, where we have many holiday-makers who enjoy being active,” Hoppé said.

The game is played with rules similar to tennis, with a net in the middle of the court over which players must pass a ball by hitting it with their racket. The side walls of the enclosed court are used as part of the gameplay. Serving is underarm, using a short-handed racket which is smaller than its tennis counterpart, and unstrung. Official padel balls are slightly smaller in diameter and have less pressure than tennis balls. Matches consist of three or five sets, with players changing sides every time an odd number game is played. When the first player or team wins the majority of sets, the winner is declared.

Get in the Game at Sun City

“Sun City looks forward to hosting not only regional but also national and even international padel events at our world-class facility,” Hoppé said. “In future South Africa could be sending a padel team to the Olympic Games if it is accepted as a sport, and your game at Sun City could be the start of a new passion.”

With health benefits including improving aerobic capacity and muscle tone, as well as helping you to broaden your social circle or close that all-important business deal – all while having a good time, it’s easy to see why padel is so popular.

The open Padel courts, which are all constructed using high-quality Astro life turf imported from Europe, will be lit at night to allow extended play.

The courts are open daily from 6am until 10pm, at a cost of R500 per hour per court excluding padel rackets and balls, and specially appointed Marshalls will be on hand to collect balls and to keep the courts and facility clean at all times. Racket hire and sales will be available from the Pro Shop as well as balls and a selection of other padel gear. Bookings are available on the Playtomic application. Dedicated onsite parking is available for players who wish to drive to the courts. Corporate packages are also available for corporate conferencing at the Resort, which provides bespoke and tailored catering for specific needs, numbers and requirements.

Article Courtesy of www.corporateimage.co.za