GB international and LTA-ranked no.1 Abigail Tordoff has founded SET Padel to encourage more women and juniors to take up the sport.
Tordoff, a former tennis pro who represented GB at the recent World Padel Championship qualifiers in Derby, has joined fellow player Daisy Maclean to run coaching clinics to introduce women and children to the game at padel venues around the country.
SET Padel recently ran two clinics at London’s Chelsea Harbour Club, led by GB national coach John Leach and Amy Cairns, Performance Lead at Esher Tennis & Padel Club in Surrey. They have now secured a number of venues for the New Year, highlighting the need for more events aimed at women and kids.
“They’ve been immensely popular,” Tordoff told The Padel Paper. “The feedback we received was so encouraging. Our first clinic sold out in a matter of hours and that led us to put on a second clinic the following week so that we could accommodate all the ladies.
“It’s exciting to know that there is a real desire out there from like-minded women who want to play and learn. From my own experience I felt this was the case and this has been reinforced since founding SET. We want to create an environment that is fun and friendly where women can pick up a bat and have fun.
“We’d love to hear from clubs across the country who want to get involved. We’re passionate about getting more women playing and interested in the sport. If their passion manages to trickle down to their daughter, son, niece or nephew then we’re doing what we set out to do. It’s how the sport will grow and develop.”
Padel’s social nature, with players in close proximity and lots of fun rallies, makes it a great alternative to the monotony of the gym or fitness classes. As we know, it is also very easy to pick up the basic skills and have an enjoyable game almost straight away.
It’s for these reasons that padel’s popularity with women is on the rise – reflected by last week’s article in Vogue.
Tordoff said: “Padel is rapidly growing in popularity. There is definitely the appetite out there and our aim is simply to make it accessible.
“Last week we had some women who had never played a racket sport, yet they were able to pick up a bat and minutes later be engaged in a rally. That’s the beauty of the sport. At entry level it’s attractive because it doesn’t take months of lessons to get to a decent level.
“It also overcomes that confidence barrier that so often puts girls and women off. You can experience the fun of the sport from the very first moment you step on court. I love that about padel.”
One woman on the initial SET Padel clinic at the Harbour Club said: “The coaching was so good – bite-size, specific, relevant and actionable. Having input from a GB coach is a treat and I really loved the female coaching. Both were so relatable.”
SET padel has exciting plans for 2023 with further clinics, tournaments and other exciting events, including the first ever SET padel branded tournament for women with prize money. On 29 April, they will hold their first kids’ clinic at the National Tennis Centre – which Tordoff is equally passionate about.
Tordoff said: “Playing padel can be great bonding time for children and parents, being active and having fun. I have two young children who now love playing both tennis and padel and that’s because they’ve been exposed to it.
“Sport can teach children so much that stays with them through their life. I have always said that the greatest aspect about my playing career is that I’m now part of a global family, I can go to any tennis club in the world and feel at home and that’s all because of my tennis.”
SET Padel are sponsored by Wilson who provide products for their clinics. Each participant in their female clinics receives a gift bag containing goodies from Wilson, Energy One, Mode, LVDY and GETAGRIP.
Follow setpadel.club on Instagram or contact Abigail and Daisy about sponsorship or running a clinic at your club at: hello@setpadel.club
