Swedish company Padelx has brought its floating padel court to UAE shores, with the first opening on the man-made lake near Cluster I in JLT, Dubai.
Accessible via a footbridge, the court is rooted in the lake bed (so it will not actually bob about when you're in the swing of things), but is surrounded by water on all sides, making for a novel way to enjoy the sport.
Padelx offers two courts, which can be booked via the Playtomic app, with rates starting from Dh200 for 60 minutes.
When not in use by padel players, the floating court can double as a venue for fashion shows and other gatherings and, as such, is open to book by individuals and corporates. The two conjoined courts can accommodate up to 100 people and have a weight capacity of 10,000kg.
“An active lifestyle should be fun, and this court is a testament to that,” said Sofie Kallstrom, chief executive of Padelx, which counts former Al Hilal football club players Christian Wilhelmsson and Sami Al-Jaber as partners.
“Our first floating court in Dubai is the first chapter of a, hopefully, long story for us and a channel to build the ecosystem for the sport here in the Middle East."
Wilhelmsson, executive business developer at Padelx, said: “Padel is easy to learn, fun to play and rewarding ... a sport to inspire the youth, and everyone else for that matter, to play, have fun and achieve a healthier lifestyle.”
Padel has taken off in a big way in the UAE, with courts mushrooming all over the Emirates, as it becomes the world's fastest-growing sport. The Mena region has been playing an important role in padel's journey to becoming a truly professional, global sport. In March last year, a new tour ― Premier Padel ― officially kicked off with its first major in Doha, followed by the World Padel Championship at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.
From February 21 to 26, Hudayriat Island will also play host to the Abu Dhabi Padel Master, with 128 of the world’s top players set to descend on the capital.
Match info
Manchester United 1
Fred (18')
Wolves 1
Moutinho (53')
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Britain's travel restrictions
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Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
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GP3 qualifying, 10:15am
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