Four former players with rackets: it is «Padel Derby» under the Bosco Verticale

My first padel match was against him. But it wasn’t that strong. It means that he trained secretly! ». The rackets are still warm when Daniele Adani wonders about the improved qualities of Gianluca Zambrotta. The couple formed by Lele Adani e Nicola Ventola, established for some years on the fields with crystal walls, has not managed to put the former defender of the national team in difficulty with Cristian Zaccardo and, at the end of two games at the foot of the Vertical Forest of Milan, had to raise the white flag.

For a few days the square Gae Aulenti it hosts two tennis courts fell, accessible from July 1st to August 23rd to anyone who wants to juggle the sport of the moment, but in a truly unusual setting. This is precisely the will of Zeta Padel Club, the innovative start-up that involves passionate players from all over Italy. At a time when padel terrains are born like mushrooms, what makes the difference is the idea of provide superior service by creating multifaceted, functional and welcoming clubs which become real social meeting points.

This is a very unifying sport, it allows anyone to play together: women, men, young people and, let’s say, more mature ones. This is its beauty and the formula for its success. To start having fun, you just need to have played a few games of beach tennis. Then, becoming strong is another thing… ». The dig of Padel cousins ​​zambrotta is subtle, but it gets to tickle those who know what it means to play to win. On his side, Gianluca has an advantage: he got to know rackets when he wore the Barcelona shirt, between 2006 and 2008.

In Spain the padelmania in fact, it blossomed much earlier than in Italy, imported from South America where the discipline was born and where today there are about 6 million fans. “Then it allows us to keep fit. For us the pitch is now off limits and this is certainly a fantastic alternative, ”he says Nicola Ventola. «In the end, what we did with the shoes we see again here. To describe my skills with the racket I would use the vote they gave me in football “it screws like a corkscrew”! But come on, I’m also very generous on the pitch, I spend a lot. Few wins, but an immense heart».

Behind the Zeta Padel Club there are six Italian entrepreneurs including also Zambrotta, all united by the idea that it is possible to create a reality capable of transforming a playing field not only into a driving force for socialization, but also in an ideal place to cultivate interests and business.

By taking advantage of marine containers that avoid new concrete and make it possible to recover structures that are difficult to dispose of, future clubs will be places where to practice sports, eat healthy, but also work in smart working, organize events and matches for corporate teams and where to find services for families with areas dedicated to children.

And to think that it all started with a chat created to find 3 companions to play with. Subsequent development led to a player level ranking system up to the development of one real app and at the final stage: turn this idea into a business.

“This in Gae Aulenti is just the first of a series,” he says Luca Cabassi, CEO of Zeta Padel Club. «Our goal is to open 5 clubs by the end of 2021 while within 5 years we will be able to inaugurate 15 direct clubs between temporary, seasonal and permanent. All characterized by exclusive additional services that will be within everyone’s reach. No type of membership or closed doors, but with the idea of ​​creating inclusive places where sport, wellness and work can coexist ».

The locations where these clubs will be born will be of two types: cool and strategic. The Headquarters will be built in Cologno Monzese with 6 covered fields and stacked containers around the fields that will serve as restaurants, cabins, showers and meeting places. In addition, there are many digital services designed for gamers and non-gamers, such as innovative and smart lockers Z Lockers and gods totem touchscreen able to provide analyzes and indications related to the challenge just played.

“You always need a tactician in the team and Zaccardo is great,” he says Zambrotta. «He works in attack, he is impulsive, but he always finds himself in the right place at the right time. We have fun and this passion allows us to continue making sport a special and important moment in our life. We have also won this Padel Derby. So beyond all the nicknames and individual traits, there is only one way we can call ourselves this evening: the winners. Because the competition is always there and there is everything.