Femme Open UK drives forward plans for free girls’ padel lessons
An International Women’s Day event organised by Femme Open UK raised more than £1,600 to help fund girls’ padel lessons.
The event, at the Hurlingham Club in London, was hosted by Pep Stonor, head of Femme Open UK, and supported by a panel of sportswomen including SKY Sports broadcaster Gigi Salmon, TeamGB hockey international Sophie Bray and British padel No 1 Tia Norton.
The padel discussed barriers for girls entering sport, leadership for girls in sport and how girls can be comfortable being competitive.
Pep said: “The theme for International Women’s Day this year was ‘Inspire Inclusion’ and that resonates with us in the padel community. Padel is a really accessible and inclusive sport and that’s why we are raising money to help young girls try out this game.”
Femme Open UK has taken the lead in encouraging women to play padel in this country, creating a network of events and a strong community. The IWD event ran in partnership with The Hurlingham Foundation.
Padel is a really accessible and inclusive sport and that’s why we are raising money to help young girls try out this game.”
Pep Stonor (right), Femme Open UK founder
GB’s top women’s player Tia Norton said: “I started out playing tennis but switched to padel when I was 12 years old. Padel is a much friendlier sport, and there is more freedom to be innovative because it’s still in its infancy. When I started out I was only able to compete against men, but now there are more girls and women participating. With more support from the LTA, more TV coverage and access to try out the game via initiatives like the one Femme Open is championing, the situation is going to continue improving.”
Femme Open UK is planning another event in partnership with The Hurlingham Foundation in June, with funds from both going towards providing free padel lessons for primary school-aged girls from September. Furthermore, the organisation recently hosted its first ever junior event at The Padel Hub in Slough, offering a free taster session for girls wanting to try out the sport.
Femme Open was formed in Sweden in 2018 to provide a way for women to play padel, stay healthy, have fun and make friends. The organisation has since grown to encompass golf and tennis and continues its spreading to new countries. 🎾
