How not to take the joy OUT of padel!
… won’t get fridged again …
The Fridge: The Ultimate Padel Party Pooper
What’s the Big Deal?
The Fridge Fiasco
The Aftermath
Pro Tips for the Fridged
The Bottom Line
The ‘other’ top 10 Padel Don’ts (Ranked in Reverse Order by Annoyance Level)
- Bag Blunder: Keep those bags off the benches, folks! The ground is your bag’s BFF.
- Smash and Dash: Hit someone with the ball? A quick “sorry” goes a long way. No need for a victory dance.
- Net Luck: Caught a lucky break with the net? A little “my bad” nod is all it takes. No need to claim you meant to do that.
- Lob Overload: Excessive high lobs? More like excessive yawns. Too much/many is just disrespectful.
- Ball Chaos: Don’t make your opponents chase balls like they’re in a fetch competition.
- Ghosting After the Game: Don’t pull a Houdini after the match. Shake hands, make eye contact, and keep it real.
- Phone Addiction: Keep those DMs for later. The court is for playing, not scrolling.
- The Fake Rush: Saying you can’t grab a post-game drink but then chilling in the sauna? Not cool, bro.
- Fashionably Late: Time is precious, especially when court time is under 90 minutes. Don’t be that person.
- Serve and Swerve: Give your opponent a sec to get ready. Rushing serves is so not fetch. [BTW that saying comes from the 2004 film, Mean Girls!]
Bonus Pet Peeve: The Silent Treatment
Self-Awareness Check
- Grunting like you’re lifting a car
- Talking my partner’s ear off (there’s a fine line between communication and a TED talk)
- Unsolicited advice (even if you mean well)
- Sneaky phone checks (pro tip: explain if it’s for medical reasons like checking glucose levels)
The Golden Manners of Padel
Full transcript via Instinct
Transcription courtesy of Instinct
Minter Dial: So this is the second season for the Joy of Padel, and as with last season, we’ll be running an episode once every fortnight. Please let us know what you think about the show by putting up a rating and a review. So welcome back to this rather special episode. I call it the interstitial because it’s a bonus. First of all, it’s not in the usual format of a of an interview that I conducted with a padel connoisseur or some padel celebrity. While based on a real article written by myself, it was converted into a podcast thanks to the uncannily good NotebookLM, which is run by Google. The artwork for this episode was also created by AI using DALL-E by OpenAI on a custom-trained dataset. So this conversation, which is done between two AI voices, focuses on padel etiquette, outlining unwritten rules for maintaining a positive playing experience. I must note that the machine only knows how to pronounce padel the American way, “padél” (accent on the e), as opposed to “pádel” (accent on the a) like our Spanish friends. The main focus of the conversation is on avoiding fridging, where a player is deliberately excluded from the action. Other etiquette points cover respecting opponents and partners, looking at some post-game behavior. Overall, the article emphasizes the importance of respect and fun within this great game of padel. I hope you’ll have as much fun listening to this with the content as much as in the form. It left me in awe. Do let me know what you think. So before I release you into this AI-produced interview, I want to wish you a wonderful happy new year full of plenty of padel, of course.
Speaker 1: All right. Let’s dive into a topic that’s uh gaining a lot of traction these days, padel. Yeah. It’s a racket sport played in doubles, kind of like tennis but on a smaller court and with walls. Oh yeah, the walls. You can use them to your advantage.
Speaker 2: Definitely adds a whole new dimension to the game, doesn’t it?
Speaker 1: It does. It does. But what really strikes me about padel is the social aspect. It’s like even more than tennis, there’s this whole culture around it. You got it. People hanging out after matches, you know. Like a built-in community. Yeah, exactly. But before we all rush out to join the padel craze, we got to talk about something kind of Crucial. Yeah, crucial. Padel etiquette.
Speaker 2: Ah yes, the unwritten rules of the court.
Speaker 1: Exactly. And lucky for us, we have a fantastic guide to navigate this tricky territory. Oh, and who’s that? We’re using a recent article by Minter Dial. I’ve heard of him. Yeah, he’s uh he knows his padel. Seems like it. The article’s titled Padel Etiquette: The Unwritten Rules of the Court. And let me tell you, he doesn’t hold back. I’m intrigued. He dives right into this uh kind of controversial topic of fridging. Fridging? I’m not familiar. Yeah, he even calls it the uh ultimate padel party pooper. Okay, now I really want to know what this is. So basically, it’s when you and your partner Deliberately hit the ball only to one opponent.
Speaker 2: Ah, I see. So you’re basically excluding their partner from the game. Yeah, like they’re not even there. And in a casual setting, I could see how that would be a problem.
Speaker 1: Right. It’s like you’re breaking some kind of unspoken agreement. That’s social contract, right? Like we’re all here to have fun, to play together. Exactly. Exactly. And Dial, he’s got some uh some pretty hilarious coping mechanisms for when you’re being fridged.
Speaker 2: Like what? Spill the beans.
Speaker 1: Well, one of them is to become your partner’s like personal cheerleader. I don’t know, that’s funny. Right. But I think the bigger takeaway is that we should all be aware of how our actions on the court affect others.
Speaker 2: Totally agree. It’s all about being mindful, right?
Speaker 1: Yes. And speaking of things to be mindful of, Dial doesn’t stop at fridging. He goes on to list a whole bunch of other padel faux pas. Oh no. He calls them the top 10 don’ts. Sounds juicy. Let’s hear them. And they range from like mildly annoying to straight-up disrespectful. Can’t wait to hear what tops the list. All right. So he starts with something relatively minor, but still, you know, a little inconsiderate. Okay, I’m listening. He calls it the bag blunder. Bag Blunder? You know those players who leave their bags on the benches Instead of putting them on the ground? Yep, that’s the bag blunder.
Speaker 2: Ah, yeah.
Speaker 1: I guess it can be annoying if the benches are crowded. Right. It’s all about respecting the shared space, making sure everyone feels comfortable.
Speaker 2: Makes sense. What’s next on the list of padel sins?
Speaker 1: Okay, this one, I’m sure we’ve all witnessed it at some point. Lay it on me. The smash and dash.
Speaker 2: Ooh, okay, I think I can picture this one.
Speaker 1: It’s when a player hits a powerful shot, you know, really blasts it, and it uh it ricochets off their opponent, and then they proceed to celebrate like they just won Wimbledon.
Speaker 2: Oh no. No humility whatsoever.
Speaker 1: Right. Like a little uh a little humility goes a long way in those situations.
Speaker 2: Especially when you accidentally hit someone with the ball.
Speaker 1: Exactly. A quick sorry would suffice. Definitely. What’s next? Okay, this next one is kind of interesting. Okay. He calls it net luck. Net luck? Yeah. You know when you hit a shot and it clips the net and dribbles over?
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, and you get the point, even though it’s totally a fluke.
Speaker 1: Exactly. And it’s tempting to act like it was intentional, right? But Dial suggests a simple nod of my bad.
Speaker 2: Oh, I like that. Acknowledges the lucky break.
Speaker 1: Right. Shows you’re not taking undeserved credit.
Speaker 2: It’s about being honest, even when you’re winning.
Speaker 1: Exactly. So uh moving on. Keep them coming. This one can be frustrating, especially in, uh, in casual matches. Yeah, it calls it lob overload.
Speaker 2: Lob overload. I’m picturing a lot of high shots. You got it. It’s when a player excessively uses lob shots. Even when it’s not strategically necessary.
Speaker 1: Right, like they’re just trying to show off or something. And it, uh, it kind disrupts the flow of the game, you know?
Speaker 2: Yeah, it prevents those back and forth rallies that make padel so fun.
Speaker 1: Exactly. It’s like they’re saying, I’m going to keep hitting these high shots until you get tired of chasing them.
Speaker 2: Right. Not very sportsmanlike.
Speaker 1: Not at all. Speaking of making your opponents run all over the court. Oh, tell me about it.
Speaker 2: We got the ball chaos culprit. Ball chaos. Okay, that sounds, uh, chaotic.
Speaker 1: It’s those players who just don’t care where the ball lands, you know?
Speaker 2: They make you chase after every shot, even if it’s clearly out of bounds.
Speaker 1: Yep. And it’s just, it’s not considerate.
Speaker 2: No, it’s not. It’s like they don’t respect your time and energy.
Speaker 1: Right. Like it’s a game, not a marathon. Exactly. And this respect, it should extend beyond the actual match, right?
Speaker 2: Absolutely. Which brings us to one of the biggest offenses, according to Dial, ghosting after the game.
Speaker 1: Ooh, I’ve seen this one. They finish the match, mumble a quick good game, and then vanish.
Speaker 2: Like they suddenly remember they had somewhere very important to be.
Speaker 1: Right. Right. But isn’t the post-game chat like part of the whole padel experience?
Speaker 2: It is. It’s a chance to connect with the people you just played with.
Speaker 1: Exactly. And ghosting, it just suggests a lack of genuine engagement.
Speaker 2: Like they were only interested in the competition, not the social connection.
Speaker 1: I see your point. It’s a reminder that padel is about building relationships too.
Speaker 2: For sure. And speaking of disengagement, Dial calls out another modern-day faux pas. Oh no, what is it? Phone addiction on the court. Oh yeah, those players glued to their screens. Checking messages, scrolling through social media.
Speaker 1: Like they’re not even present in the game.
Speaker 2: It’s a lack of focus, disrespect for the people you’re playing with.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it’s like why are you even here?
Speaker 2: Right. If you’re just going to be on your phone, go sit in the cafe.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we’ve got ghosting, phone addiction. What else is there? Well, this one is just plain dishonest. The fake rush. The fake rush. Okay, I’m curious. It’s that person who claims they can’t stay for a drink after the game. Because they have somewhere to be? Right. But then you see them chilling in the sauna. Oh no, busted. Right.
Speaker 2: Like it’s one thing to politely decline, but to make up an excuse. Yeah, and then get caught red-handed.
Speaker 1: It just makes people feel like they’re not worth your time.
Speaker 2: Totally undermines that sense of community, you know?
Speaker 1: Speaking of things that undermine the game. Hit me with it. What about those players who are chronically late?
Speaker 2: Ooh, yes. The fashionably late offender.
Speaker 1: Dial really emphasizes that time is precious, especially when you’ve got a limited court booking.
Speaker 2: Totally. Don’t be that person who saunters in 10 minutes late.
Speaker 1: Making everyone wait around. Yeah, punctuality is a sign of respect. For the game, for the people you’re playing with. Couldn’t have said it better myself. And finally, we have the serve and swerve.
Speaker 2: Serve and swerve.
Speaker 1: Sounds shifty. It’s when a player rushes their serve, doesn’t give their opponent time to get ready.
Speaker 2: Ah, so they’re trying to gain an unfair advantage. Yep.
Speaker 1: It’s just rude, plain and simple.
Speaker 2: It goes against the whole spirit of sportsmanship.
Speaker 1: So we’ve covered a lot of ground here. A lot of padel don’ts. From fridging to rushed serves. And everything in between. It seems like padel etiquette is all about respect. Respect for the game, for your opponents. Even for yourself. Absolutely. But it makes me wonder. What’s that? Does Dial ever admit to his own etiquette slip-ups?
Speaker 2: You know what? He does. And it’s one of the most refreshing parts of the article. Really? Yeah, he gets really candid about his own, uh, potentially annoying habits on the court. How he spills the tea. Like what kind of stuff? He admits to, uh, grunting a bit too much.
Speaker 1: Oh, I’ve definitely played with those guys. Right.
Speaker 2: And talking his partner’s ear off. Can’t relate. Haha. Oh, and offering unsolicited advice. The backseat coach. Exactly. and even uh sneaking in those phone checks we talked about.
Speaker 1: Oh, the hypocrisy. Yeah, just kidding. I’m kidding. But it’s actually really refreshing, you know? Because it shows that even someone who’s like super passionate about padel etiquette Yeah. isn’t perfect. He’s human. Exactly. And I think it highlights the importance of self-awareness. Mm, interesting. Like we all have those little quirks and habits that might annoy others. Yeah. The key is to be mindful of them, right? Yeah. And make an effort to like minimize any negative impact. So true. So true. Oh, he actually had a good point about the phone checks. Oh yeah, what was that? He suggests explaining to your fellow players if you need to glance at your phone uh for medical reasons.
Speaker 2: Oh, that makes sense. Not everyone is comfortable disclosing personal stuff like that.
Speaker 1: Right, but a simple heads up can go a long way. Definitely. Shows consideration. Yeah, it’s a good reminder that everyone has different needs and circumstances. Exactly. You got to be flexible. So we’ve explored the don’ts, we’ve learned about self-awareness, and the golden rule of padel. But I feel like we’re still missing something. Oh, what’s that? Well, Dial spends a lot of time on what not to do, Yeah. but it makes me wonder, what are some of the unwritten dos?
Speaker 2: Ah, interesting. Like what are the things that actually contribute to a positive experience?
Speaker 1: Exactly. What can we do to make the padel court a more welcoming and enjoyable space for everyone?
Speaker 2: Well, I think it all boils down to like simple acts of kindness and sportsmanship. Yeah, yeah. You know, like cheering for someone’s good shot even if they’re your opponent.
Speaker 1: Right. Right, right, totally. Makes the game more fun for everyone. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Exactly. Or offering a word of encouragement to somebody who’s having a tough time.
Speaker 1: Yeah, or even just like helping to retrieve a ball that’s gone astray. Little things like that can make a big difference. They really can. And it’s not just about what you do, but also your attitude, you know?
Speaker 2: Oh, for sure. Nobody wants to play with a negative Nancy.
Speaker 1: Exactly. Come on, we’re here to have fun.
Speaker 2: It’s about focusing on the joy of the game, the chance to connect with others.
Speaker 1: And hey, maybe even learn a thing or two along the way.
Speaker 2: Right. So I think what we’ve learned today is that padel etiquette But it’s more than just a set of rules. It’s about creating a culture of respect and camaraderie on and off the court.
Speaker 1: And that’s what makes padel so special, right?
Speaker 2: Absolutely. It’s a sport that brings people together.
Speaker 1: And Dial, he sums it up perfectly in his article. He toasts to good games and even better sportsmanship. Couldn’t have said it better myself. So whether you’re a seasoned padel pro or just starting out, we all have a responsibility to uphold these unwritten rules.
Speaker 2: And to create a positive and welcoming environment for everyone.
Speaker 1: It’s not always easy, especially in the heat of the moment. But it’s worth it.
Speaker 2: It is, because at the end of the day, padel should be about having fun, connecting with others, and just enjoying the thrill of the game.
Speaker 1: Well said. So there you have it folks, a deep dive into the surprisingly complex and often hilarious world of padel etiquette. We hope you learned a thing or two. And that you’ll join us in making the padel community a little bit more awesome. One “my bad” at a time. Uh-huh, exactly. Until next time, keep playing padel and remember, it’s all about the vibe.
Speaker 2: Peace out.
Minter Dial: So I hope you’ve enjoyed this Joy of Padel episode. Please don’t forget to subscribe to be the first in queue for the next episode. And if you like what you hear, please do share around with other padel aficionados. This is a sport that deserves to be played by absolutely everyone. And if you got a story that you’d like to share, please send me an email or better yet, a voice note at nminterdial@gmail.com. With that, thanks for listening and see you on the next episode of The Joy of Padel podcast. Vamos.
Really good to know!!
Vital read for us Padel players! I’m sure we can all learn something from these rules and have better camaraderie! Well done Minter!