What inspired you to launch PADELXO? 

I played padel for the first time in 2018 with the legendary Chelsea footballer John Terry down at the Campus in Portugal, and I realised that this was a sport that had everything – it’s social, accessible, fun, competitive, but also difficult to master. I became addicted to it very quickly and really wanted to be a part in growing the game. At the time, there were only about 50-60 padel courts, so I figured the first thing to do that was to set up a company that supplied courts and just wanted to build as many padel courts in the UK as possible. In the process of building this company, I met Pedro Plantier, one of the partners of Cork Padel, and that was when we started looking at what else we could do with PadelXO outside the infrastructure of the sport.

Why do you think Padel has become such a phenomenon for both athletes and casual players?

I genuinely believe that padel has become a phenomenon among current and former athletes as well as people from all walks of life because it has the accessibility factor that other sports simply can’t offer. I’ve seen children playing against their grandparents, and although this may be possible in other sports, the difference here is that they’re able to be competitive and play a proper match. You don’t have to be a certain level of fitness to participate, and you can pick up a racket for the first time and have a good rally. That’s not a common trait of lots of other sports.

Which is more addictive to play, Padel or Rugby?

Hands down Padel, without a doubt. It was a very special experience to be paid as a professional to do a sport that I loved, however, it’s difficult to say that rugby is an addictive sport as it is so extremely physical and contact oriented. You definitely need to train to play padel to a decent level, but it’s nowhere near the physical demands of rugby. I’ve been able to take everything I have learnt from rugby, in terms of conditioning, mobility, functionality and fitness, and apply it on the padel court. Padel is also the most competitive sport I have played, and being able to continue having those competitive edges that I grew up with is something that I am motivated by and I’m grateful that padel has given me that outlet after my rugby career ended.

What excites you the most about PADELXO and expanding the sport further?

I have two daughters under 3 years old, and already I can see how easy it is to be focused on screens nowadays. Even in sports, the rise and success of E-Sports is astounding. My passion behind padel as a sport is it encourages people, young and old, to get out and be social. It’s a 2-person sport, you have to work as a team and communicate, so it develops people’s social skills as well as their motor skills, and it uses new parts of your brain as well as your body. There are studies that have been done showing how racket sports increase the longevity of people’s lives because of the impact on brain function, and padel has been a hugely positive driving force of this shift away from the digital world in society. It’s so much fun and there’s so many tiny wins from the moment you pick up your racket, we as PadelXO want to increase these wins. One of our brands, Cork Padel, is a leading factor in this development with its unique design and orthopaedic benefits. The racket has an exclusive anti-vibration system nullifying stress on elbow, wrist & shoulder. I had surgery on my elbow a few years ago and being able to play a sport pain free is something I’ll never take for granted!

Are you better at Padel or Rugby?

This is a very fun question for me… I feel like I am only just getting started in my padel career, and I have about 30 years of playing rugby under my belt, so I think looking at it like that, I am still a better rugby player. However, I can see myself over time becoming a much better padel player, and I will definitely be a healthier athlete above anything else! Put it this way – I can see myself playing padel well into my 60s, but you won’t see me playing rugby then!

Post a strenuous match of Padel, how do you like to relax and unwind?

I am so lucky that I live so close to the ocean in the Algarve, and my favourite thing to do after a hard game of padel is to go for a swim to chill out. Genuinely nothing better! I have to say, though, I also love a glass of red wine to unwind, especially after playing in Portugal where the sun is always shining… or both, and that’s the perfect afternoon for me!

What’s your tipple of choice?

So difficult to choose one, so my top three are: Douro Red Wine, Tequila Ginger Beer (aka Mexican Mule) and a pint of any Portuguese beer!

Do you have any tips for beginners who want to get started with padel?

 1. Your stance – you want to be stood on your toes, leaning forward, as if you have a turtle shell on your back (the visualisation helps!) and you want to have the top of your racket pointing at your opposition. Using this, you will hit some great shots as you are in the perfect position

2. The volley position – Using the same stance up at the net, you want to make sure you are looking over the top of the racket protector, so you are ready to make the quick returns with your racket up and in position

3. Move your feet! – You have to move your feet as fast as you can, and keep moving your feet through the shot going forward. Bending your knees andkeeping on your toes will help with this, moving around the court and back and forth from the net. This is my biggest top tip and something that will excel you forward in your padel game above anything else!