GB stars Tia Norton and George Weller had the honour of hitting the first balls at Tipton Sports Academy to mark the opening of the first padel courts in the Black Country.
British no.3 Tia and LTA no.13 George were joined by Sandwell Council CEO Shokat Lal and Sandwell Leisure Trust CEO Mark Braithwaite for the opening of the three indoor courts, which are the result of a £155,000 local council investment.
Tia, who hails from nearby Leamington Spa and was the first British women to compete on the World Padel Tour, said: “As a fellow Midlander it’s always fantastic to see more courts being put up in the region. It’s vital that the sport is made accessible via community facilities like this one, so that people from all walks of life are able to experience the buzz and excitement of padel together.”
Sandwell Council CEO Lal added: “This is another first for the borough and I am thrilled we are bringing padel, the fastest growing participation sport in the world, right here to Tipton with our partners at Sandwell Leisure Trust. We continue to innovate and capitalise on new opportunities to make Sandwell a thriving and exciting borough in which to live, work and enjoy leisure time.”
Sandwell Leisure Trust CEO Braithwaite is already an avid padel player. He commented: “I am delighted to be bringing these fantastic indoor padel courts to Tipton Sports Academy as we continue to look for new ways to engage more people in physical activity and enjoy healthy lives. Playing padel is an ideal way to socialise with family, friends or other enthusiasts for a fun game, because it’s so easy to play and pick up for all ages, abilities and fitness levels.”
