Anglo-American Padel Cup: Sports News Blitz speak to co-founder of the first-ever UK vs US Padel Competition
At the inaugural Anglo American Padel Cup, Sports News Blitz’s Vanely Barumire sat down with one of its co-founders, Bill Ulman, to discuss how the tournament came to be and the future of British and American padel.
Captivated by a match in front of us, Bill Ullman is a true padel fanatic, even during an interview. Taking a moment to compliment a shot made by one of the players, our interview finally began.
Q: Name and occupation?
Ullman: “Bill Ullman, and my main occupation is a financial services professional, but I am a padel addict, and on the volunteer side, I am president of the US Padel Association and co-organiser of this event.”
Q: Where did the idea for a UK vs US padel competition come from?
Ullman: “Well, I love sports. All my life, I’ve watched Ryder Cup, Davis Cup tennis, Ryder Cup golf, and it was very obvious to me and to Ben [Nichols] and to Joelle [Quinn], the three of us, that there was a missing gap. There is no US vs UK padel competition, and we wanted to fill that gap, and here we are.
“And everyone is loving it. How does it feel to see everything come together? Ullman: It’s absolutely wonderful to see it. It’s a little nerve-racking being an American and watching the scores be so close.
“In that sense, it’s great because it's exciting. If we were in the lead right now, I’d be a little happier.
“You’re a player yourself. How does it feel to be on the other side? Ullman: It feels okay. I’m comfortable with the role. It’s a little nerve-racking. It’s sometimes easier to play and be coached, rather than be the coach or whatever.
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“I’m not - my brain is not good enough to do both at the same time - play and organise, so I had to pick one.
“What does the future of British and American padel look like to you? Ullman: I think both countries are on these huge growth spurts.
“We’re very much in the, I don’t know, the toddler years of padel. So we’re going to grow very fast, so is the UK, and, you know, we’re decades away from being mature in game like Spain and Argentina and a country like that.
“It’s coming, everyone can feel it and sense it, you can sense the excitement here, but it’s gonna take some time.”
Q: What is the best advice for someone wanting to get into padel?
Ullman: My only advice is just try it. Get out there. Play. Rent a court with your friends, and if you want to get better, like everything in life, it’s about practice.
“But the great thing is that it’s such a fun sport and people have so much fun playing that you’re going to get addicted to it.”
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