By Carlos Ramírez Zago
At the end of the 60's a new sport was born, thanks to businessman Enrique Corcuera at his estate in Las Brisas, Acapulco. Corcuera was very fond of tennis and during a trip to the United States he learned about “paddle-tennis”, which consisted of a court similar to a tennis court but smaller, a lower net and a paddle instead of a racquet.
Upon returning to Acapulco, Corcuera adapted a space on to play this sport, placing the net in the center and some walls around it, in order to prevent the vegetation from invading the court and to avoid losing his balls.
This is how what we know today as paddle originated, because people visited Corcuera’s court and were spreading the word, until the new Paddle came to Spain in 1968 and Argentina in 1969. Some time later, in the 80's, paddle blade manufacturers experimented with rubber and obtained lighter and more aerodynamic blades, as we know them today.
In 2021, just coming out of the strict restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic, paddle tennis became the fastest growing sport in the world, with a development of 67,000 courts worldwide, even surpassing tennis.
Currently in San Miguel de Allende, there are multiple places to play paddle tennis, as it is the current fashionable sport and we had the opportunity to talk with Paulina Ramírez, a talented young San Miguel de Allende amateur athlete and paddle tennis player. Paulina started playing paddle tennis a few years ago and was able to tell us about her feelings about playing the sport and also explained to us a little about what makes this sport special over the others.
“I think that most sports share similar characteristics, any sport is good because they teach you discipline, tolerance, companionship, concentration, respect, etc. but paddle tennis allows you a little more conection, because inside the court there must be 4 people and those 4 people do not necessarily have to have the same level to get a good game,” said Paulina.
“I have not competed much, however I have won some tournaments, but what I enjoy the most is the interaction with my friends, because it puts me in a good mood and it is also good for my health”, she declared.
Paulina also told us about what it means to play a sport as a couple, such as paddle tennis. “Paddle is a couple sport, so you have to have empathy with your partner, because if in the game he is not performing as he would like, you have to learn to motivate him and if in the end the result is not what you wanted, keep in mind that we are a team and it is not about who played better or worse, in the same way that if it happens to you, you know how to communicate it and he can cope with it” explained Paulina.
“And within everything, paddle tennis has given me one of the best gifts, which is to share the court with my dad as a partner, because he is a great athlete, who I have always admired a lot and to be able to share the court with him now, is something that for me is priceless”. Paulina confessed.
Undoubtedly, we can proudly say that one of the fastest growing sports in recent years in the world is of Mexican origin and taking into account the statements of Paulina Ramírez, a sport that is fun, pleasant and convivial as paddle tennis, is something that was sorely needed in the world.
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