Rugby legend Jonathan Davies MBE says he’s “desperate” for a padel court in his home town of Swansea.
The former Wales rugby union fly-half who also represented Great Britain in rugby league before becoming a popular TV commentator, has been a keen padel player for 20 years.
He first encountered the game on holiday at the Puerto Romano Hotel in Marbella. He has since been back to Spain at least once a year ever since and always seeks out the nearest padel court for a hit with family or his golfing mates.
Davies campaigned for Swansea Council to build two padel courts at Langland Bay two years ago as part of a proposed redevelopment of two tennis courts in a seaside park, but Covid-19 scuppered the project.
He has now become an Ambassador for Game4Padel and is supporting the company’s CEO Michael Gradon in attempts to kickstart padel projects in south Wales.
Wales has padel facilities in Penarth and Cwmbran, with plans approved for a brand new multisport centre at Llandaff Fields in Cardiff which include eight padel courts (four covered and four uncovered).
Davies is supporting the development of courts at Cardiff City FC’s training ground and hopes to add padel courts to new facilities at Mumbles Rugby Club in his home town of Swansea.
Davies, nicknamed ‘Jiffy’, will continue his efforts to promote the game which he calls “a great leveller”.
He told The Padel Paper: “We’re trying to create awareness so people simply know what it is. Once they see padel and understand it, they can appreciate how much fun it would be to play. Awareness is the key.
“In padel, no matter what level you are, you can have a good knock, a good laugh and get a good sweat up. Even tired ex-sportsmen like me can have great fun rallying back and forth. It’s playable, that’s the key word. It’s just a magnficent sport to participate in.
“With tennis, serving is difficult and you’ve got to walk around and pick balls up constantly. I’ve played with a lot of good tennis players and you can’t live with them on the tennis court, but padel can be a great leveller. I think that’s important.”
Davies turned 60 last October and says padel is an ideal sport for others of his age, and older, to help stay active.
“Later in life, I think it’s too difficult to pick tennis up,” he says. “Padel is a more manageable, playable game.
“Once you finish as a professional sportsman you just want to play another sport. I play golf, but I can’t run about as much now, so padel suits me perfectly.
“You only have to cover one side of the court and you’re communicating all the time with your partner. The main thing is keeping your cool. I have learned not to smash the ball all the time. The important thing is just getting it back and not going for too many winners.
“I can hold my own, but it’s difficult when you only go to Spain and pick a racket up once a year. It’s like anything, the more practice you put in, the better you become. If there was a facility nearby, I’m sure my level would go up pretty quickly. That’s what I’m aiming for.”
