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The sport that seems to have taken over half of Cyprus’ free time is heading to the Mediterranean Games.
Cyprus will compete in padel for the first time at the 20th Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy, where the increasingly popular racket sport will also make its debut on the Games’ official program.
Often described as a cross between tennis and squash, padel has grown rapidly in Cyprus, with courts appearing across the island and more people swapping their tennis rackets and occasionally their after-work drinks for a game inside the glass walls.
The Cyprus Olympic Committee has now included six padel players in the national delegation: Sergis Kyratzis, Christopher Koutrouzas, Petros Chrysochos, Giovanna Knezevic, Maria Siopacha, and Lena Savva.
Cyprus will enter a men’s team, a women’s team, and a mixed team. The men’s and women’s competitions begin on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 22, followed by the opening round of the mixed competition later that day.
Padel operates in Cyprus under the Cyprus Tennis Federation and is one of the newest additions to the country’s organized sports scene. The island’s international experience remains limited, with its main appearance so far coming at a European championship.
“It is a new sport for Cyprus, although it has been established in Europe and around the world for many years,” Cyprus Padel Federation President Dimitris Leontis said, thanking the Olympic Committee for including the sport in the delegation.
Former tennis champion Sergis Kyratzis, who has since taken up padel, said the team was grateful for the opportunity and hoped for a favorable draw that would allow Cyprus to make a strong run.
He also expressed hope that padel’s rapid worldwide growth will eventually earn it a place at the Olympic Games.
The Cyprus Tennis Federation will send 11 athletes to Taranto, its largest Mediterranean Games delegation to date. Alongside the six padel players, tennis will be represented by Menelaos Efstathiou, Eleftherios Neos, Andreas Timini, Ralouka Serban, and Andrea Georgiou Papakyriakou.
