We were talking about it a while ago, writer Minter Dial recently launched his “Joy of Padel". The objective is to make this discipline better known to a wide audience through anecdotes and interviews with enthusiasts of the activity.

For the second episode of the series,  the man with many hats invited Nallé Grinda , a legend of French padel. During this episode, Nallé recalls his first moments when he discovered padel in Mexico, he evokes the comparison with pickleball, discusses the future of the discipline in the United States, as well as his future projects with Padel X.

Joy of padel Nallé Grinda episode 2

Strong early memories

 Nallé Grinda  "I started playing padel when I was 5 years old, in 1981. My parents were going to Acapulco with a group of friends. They knew Enrique Corcuera well. They started playing, and at some point they were like, 'What if we got the little ones to play?

Enrique corcuera padel family
The Corcuera family

“I don't really have any specific memories of that period. After all, I was only 5 years old. However, I know that all the courts in Acapulco had different dimensions and configurations.  Each house had its own rules, the walls had various shapes, the lengths differed, and it was quite fun.  Obviously, each house adapted its rules according to its terrain. I remember a court where, when you spiked a par 4, you were penalized because the neighbors received a lot of balls.

Viviana Corcuera - Nalle Grinda
Viviana Corcuera Nalle Grinda

Projects in the USA intensify

 Nallé Grinda  " When I returned to the United States in 2010, I tried to facilitate the establishment of tracks in the country , selling land, looking for partners, advising, informing as much as possible. Today, most of my time is dedicated to the development of padel through  my company Padel X . We collaborate with Chilean partners who have solid expertise in the sports field in Chile."

Nallé Grinda Tournament Director WPT Blockchain.com Miami Open

"I think we have really put together a solid and exciting concept when it comes to padel infrastructure in the United States. So far, we are working on two clubs in Florida that are under development and currently,  we are looking for a location in New York and we still have other projects to come. 

 Current challenges lie mainly in finding suitable locations, as the costs are considerably high . This is one of the reasons why the development is rather slow. Many people and companies are excited about opening and starting business in the United States, but very few are actually able to make it happen.. "

"The trend is there, as is the presence of the players. We are preparing for big events, but I cannot provide more details.  In October, a major event is planned, that's all I can reveal to you for the moment . All indicators are green.  I predict that there will be 5 padel courts in five years,  which would be a considerable increase. Although it takes time, we invest all our time and resources in developing this sport.”

Pickleball and padel can be complementary

Padel rackets Head speed collection
Pickleball_StarVie

 Nallé Grinda  " I don't really see any rivalry or conflict between the two, in my opinion they are two complementary sports with distinct business models.  At first, we were thinking about installing pickleball courts in clubs, but we abandoned this idea for several reasons, mainly regarding the compatibility between the two sports. They are two different business models. Pickleball is free, it is easier to build courts, while padel requires more resources.”

"They are also two similar sports, and they are both accessible. Personally, I much prefer padel, but I understand people who play pickleball, whether for entertainment or business opportunities."

In padel we constantly question ourselves

 Nallé Grinda  "In padel, you constantly learn to question yourself. Every weekend, only one pair wins the tournament, while all the others lose.  Every week, you reset your mindset and bounce back, just like in life eventually.” 

"Beginners in this sport often tend to want to skip steps and play with the best from the beginning. On the contrary, it is important to accept losing points, work on angles, positioning and gradually climb the ladder. Tennis is a game based on winning points, while padel is a game without mistakes.  The winner of the point is usually the one who caused the last unforced error. " 

 If you want to listen to the entire podcast in English  it's right here.

Vincent Gallie

A fan of oval ball, round ball and also racket sports, he was bitten by padel during his adolescence in Galicia. As comfortable in front of the camera as behind a microphone, Vince will be able to bring his vision and expertise as a passionate fan of the little yellow ball.

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