Wigston and Allardice are the Padel hotsteppers of Bree Street
Padel players unite 32 players from across Cape Town braved the cold to compete in the fourth Padel4Good Men’s tournament of the year. Photo: John Hishin/Cape Town Sports Photography
Image: John Hishin/Cape Town Sports Photography
While Cape Town might be in the middle of a barrage of cold fronts, things are heating up inside the Racket and Ball Padel Club.
This past weekend, the world-class Padel arena played host to another exciting event when sporting charity Padel4Good showed up and showed out under the bright lights of the Bree Street venue known for producing all-out action events and top-class Padel shows.
In this year's fourth Men's Padel4Good competition, Bryce Wigston and David Allardice walked away victors after beating Paul Atkinson and Anthony Scholtz 6-4 in the final game of the night, which saw players rated between 2-5 on the PlayTomic App compete for honors and a good cause.
It was a memorable night for all, especially Wigston and Allardice, who braved the cold to receive proper respite on the beautiful blue Racket and Ball courts, situated in the hub of Cape Town's party scene.
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"It was an awesome event as usual with Padel4Good," said Allardice.
"It was chilly, but things got very hot with the tense competition. The final was super tough with two opponents I know well. Luckily enough, we had enough left in the tank to get over the line," added Allardice, who has been fortunate enough to travel the country playing Padel after transitioning over from tennis two years back.
"I fell in love immediately with this sport. I have been fortunate to travel the country with some great sponsors (Head and Arturf Padel arena) and I am chasing big titles to bring home to Cape Town, but winning the North vs South trophy last year was my favorite so far," said Allardice.
The "North vs South" padel event is an annual competition, in a similar format to the Ryder Cup, where players from the northern (Johannesburg and Durban) and southern (Cape Town) regions of South Africa compete against each other. The event typically spans a weekend, with matches played on a dedicated padel court, culminating in a final match.
For Wigston, a Padel coach, it was a moment to savor as he continues to appreciate the growth of the sport and the camaraderie enjoyed within those four lines.
"The padel4good men’s event hosted at the one and only Racket + Ball Club on Friday evening was top class and a very well-organized event. I enjoyed every second of it with great support from coaching clients, friends, and spectators," said Wigston.
Playing alongside David Allardice, who is a good friend of mine, is always a pleasure. Our opponents, Paul Atkinson and Anthony Scholtz, are great top players and are always a challenge to compete against. Well played to both of them."
Wigston's coaching career began with Africa Padel roughly three years ago before the man relocated to Racket and Ball, where both he and his clients continue to thrive and enjoy one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.
"The competitive and social aspect of the sport is what draws me to it. As a coach, I love sharing my passion for the sport with my clientele, ensuring I add as much value as possible during our training sessions for them to improve their abilities and grow their love for the sport day by day. Overall, it was a great evening, and thanks again to all the organizers and sponsors."
The Racket and Ball Club hosts a variety of competitions. Below are the weekly social events available at the venue.
For more details on Padel4Good and the Racket and Ball Club, check out their social pages.
IOL Sport