The owners of Tauranga’s first padel club brought the sport to the Bay of Plenty after getting a taste overseas.

Tony and Rachel Sweetman opened the doors to the Padel Club NZ in Pāpāmoa last March after falling in love with the racket sport, which combines elements of tennis and squash.

While working in the South of France – a stone’s throw away from Rachel’s home in Britain but an ocean away for Auckland boy Tony – the couple saw the game was “taking off worldwide”.

They began inquiring about padel in New Zealand in 2023, but there was only one court in Auckland at the time.

So they decided to start their own club.

“We looked at a number of different places around Tauranga, but the location of the Pāpāmoa site was most desirable for a number of reasons.

“It’s located on a main road (Turiwhatu St) with lots of commuters, it was the right size for a four-court club. Pāpāmoa is the fastest growing suburb in town, and there’s a really nice community down here with a large demographic of all ages, so it ticked all of our boxes.”

The couple were tennis players before they converted, which made padel enjoyable for them.

Padel Club NZ owners Tony and Rachel Sweetman.

But Rachel said experience was not necessary.

“Padel is what you want it to be: competitive or social, inclusive of all ages and abilities. The fact that it has a bit for everyone is a real draw for us.

“It’s a great sport for players of all ages and skills, as it is both quick and easy to pick up yet hard to master. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, you can enjoy the game from the get-go.”

Rachel said they were seeing more clubs and courts pop up around the country, and they saw new faces every week coming down “to see what the buzz is all about”.

The number of people signed up to their app, on which players could book courts or activities, grew from 500 in the first few months of opening to 2400 today.

The most popular age range of sign-ups was 35 to 42 years old.

“Everyone can give it a go,” Rachel said. “Our goal is to foster an environment that’s welcoming to all ages and all abilities.”

So far 2400 people have signed up to the Padel Club NZ's app. Photo / Aurelius Vincent

The club hosted social and competitive leagues, introductory sessions, school holiday programmes, coaching, open matches, and Americano tournaments, and collaborated with local running clubs like Mount Maunganui Runners and Walkers Club and Not Another Run Club.

Next year, the club would host New Zealand’s first national competition in February or March.

Before the big event, Rachel said, they hoped to build awareness of the sport in Tauranga and “get as many people down here to enjoy this amazing game”.

“Padel is built on community, and that’s at the heart of everything we do.”

Rachel said players have told the couple the club has a “vibe”, and they could not agree more.

Their licensed clubhouse added to the atmosphere with a selection of Mount Brewing Co beers, Pals, Uncommon wine, Folk coffee and Detroit-style pizza.

Most of the Padel Club’s events were designed so players could come alone or with a friend, with players rotating throughout the hour.

Rachel said she and Tony wanted to offer something a little different from the traditional sports club atmosphere.

“It’s a brilliant way to meet new people and build genuine connections.

“These events play an important role in strengthening our community and introducing padel to people who may never have considered themselves racket sport players.”

Bijou Johnson is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. A passionate writer and reader, she grew up in Tauranga and developed a love for journalism while exploring various disciplines at university. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies from Massey University.