Cayetano, Obiena enjoy game of padel—a tennis/squash sport

Padel or padel tennis got formally introduced in the Philippine sports community with world No. 2 men’s pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena playing a friendly with the sport’s benefactor Senator Pia Cayetano last Fridaty at the Play Padel Courts in Mandaluyong City.

“It’s very fulfilling to play this sport although I know that this is just the start of the long journey of padel sport here in our country,” said Cayetano, who spearheads the two local padel courts so far in the country at the BGC and Mandaluyong City.

Padel is a cross between tennis and squash and traces its origin in Mexico. The court though is smaller than tennis and while tennis balls are used, play allows players to bounce the ball off the walls.

Play is done doubles and is scored the same way as tennis.

“It’s not easy to build this new venue,” Cayetano said of the Mandaluyong facility. “But after this, I am looking forward to build the community so the work begins now.

“Training of the coaches is also ongoing so they will able to train the players to be better athletes” she added.

An enthusiast of tennis, Obiena said he was excited trying his hand at padel.

“It’s really different but I’m having fun because it’s something new. I believe this sport will become popular soon,” Obiena said. “I’m here for Senator Pia and it’s great playing padel with them.”

Padel, according to pioneering coach Bryan Casao, is a social sport for all ages and skills.

“As more Filipinos are playing padel, more competitions will be held,” said Casao, who announced the staging of the Padel Pilipinas League that was played over the weekend.

Casao is the first Filipino professional padel coach and head of Play Padel Philippines.