Former British no.1 tennis star Johanna Konta dropped into Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, to celebrate the opening of new club WePlay Padel.
Konta, the ex-world no.4, was joined by Yorkshire women’s over-50s champion Gilly Smail for an action-packed morning of padel which included kids ‘serving for prizes’ provided by IT Sports, York, and a high-energy padel cardio session led by club coach Damian Galloway.
A Q&A session followed, hosted by club owner James Buffoni, in which Konta and Smail shared insights on everything from starting out in racket sports to building grassroots participation and what makes padel popular with women.
The audience saw how Konta — a three-time Grand Slam semi-finalist and Olympic athlete — was finding her feet with the padel glass, while Smail offered motivation as someone who only picked up a racket three years ago and now competes successfully at county level.
“We’re so grateful for Gilly and Johanna to give their time to visit WePlay,” said Buffoni. “We’re only four weeks old, so to hear their views and to see them play was an amazing opportunity. We’re so grateful that they were willing to give time to inspire our budding community. The courts were booked solid all weekend, which was great to see.”
A highlight of the morning was the showcase set, where Konta’s natural talent and volleying skills lit up the court — despite it being only her second time playing padel — while Smail demonstrated her flair, developed in just a few short years of experience.
Photos and autographs wrapped up the morning, with players and visitors soaking up the atmosphere under the canopy on a rainy North Yorkshire morning.
With school holidays now under way, WePlay is now offering a 20% discount on all morning court bookings until the end of August, aimed at getting more kids and families into padel. Coaching sessions and competitive events are also ramping up, with more community events planned for late summer.
One local spectator said: “It’s amazing to have this in our town — I never thought we’d see a padel facilty, let alone the ex-world tennis number 4 playing padel in Kirkbymoorside!”
