The Venice Beach Recreation Center took one step towards getting back to normalcy today with the reopening of the paddle tennis courts. Still closed are the sandbox, Muscle Beach Gym which is a state of disrepair, the handball courts, which are currently a homeless camp, and the basketball courts.
Here is a message from Venice Recreation and Parks’ Robert Dunn!
The Paddle Tennis Courts will officially re-open this Friday, June 12th, 7 a.m. til’ sundown. Singles only. Safety rules and regulation will be posed on each court. See you there!
This summer, play a fun game, or watch some of the world’s best paddle tennis players in action at the Venice Beach Paddle Tennis courts on the Venice Beach Boardwalk.
Click on the play button above! The Tennis Channel did an awesome promo of the sport – featuring the Venice courts and some of our local players! Thanks to Pop Tennis for tagging us on this video.
About: Paddle/Pop Tennis is a game that looks like a cross between ping-pong and tennis. The court looks like a scaled down tennis court and the rules are the same as tennis as well. The racquets resemble large ping pong paddles. The Venice Beach Paddle Tennis Tournament is widely regarded as one of the toughest and best Paddle Tennis tournaments in the World to win, because the Venice Beach Paddle Tennis recreational facility is where most of the top professional players live and practice their games year round.
Additional info:
- the court is 50 feet long by 20 feet wide.
- uses a deadened regulation tennis ball.
- paddles are foam composite or wood.
- same scoring as tennis.
- faster play with longer rallies than tennis.
- underhand serve only, single fault.
Photo taken pre-covid19
Doerner Brothers. Photo taken pre-covid19
NUMBER OF PADDLE TENNIS COURTS: 11 Regulation size courts.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE: Anyone. All ages!
ADMISSION FEE: Free to the public. Open play: No fee/reservations. First come basis. NOTE: Tournament and permits take precedence on courts.
RACKET RENTAL: $5 per racket (Valid I.D. required) Rackets and tennis balls are available at the Recreation and Parks Office. 1800 Ocean Front Walk. Venice, Ca 90291. 310.399.2775
Photos courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/pop.paddle.venice/
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Here is what Paddle Tennis Champion Scotty Freedman has to say about the sport.
Scotty Freedman has played Paddle Tennis for over 40 years, and has won the most championships in Paddle Tennis sport’s history. 191 in all, too many to list.
What do I love about paddle tennis: I love the fact that people of all different skill levels and abilities and levels of play can think and understand the game of Paddle Tennis at their respective levels of play exactly like i think and do the game, playing the game at the games top level like i do is entirely different. Venice beach paddle tennis courts are an eclectic mix of people from all different backgrounds, be it unemployed and hanging at the beach everyday or the richest of the rich in Los Angeles, they all have “ONE COMMON GOAL” they love the game of paddle tennis.
Scott Freedman. Photo taken pre-covid19. © VenicePaparazzi
For more paddle tennis info or to register:
Venice Beach Recreation and Parks Office. 1800 Ocean Front Walk. Venice, Ca 90291. 310.399.2775
Fan and follow Pop.Paddle.Venice!
Pop.Paddle.Venice are: Katrina Glusac, Christine Lee, Leslie Martino, Gino Bejarano, Daniel Wulfe Hellmund, Mike Rogers, and Sam Yuspeh. They help LA Dep’t of Recreations and Parks to organize the yearly tournaments and to promote the sport. facebook.com/pop.paddle.venice
Fan and follow Paddle Tennis (United States Paddle Tennis Association). facebook.com/groups/13380632535/
Fan follow Pop Tennis
POP Tennis™ is the sport that everyone can play & enjoy from ages 5 to 95. POP can be played year round on all surfaces. https://www.instagram.com/poptennis
