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Some observations on the flow physics of paddle racquets

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Francisco J. Huera-Huarte
Francisco J. Huera-Huarte
Francisco J. Huera-Huarte
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Paddle, padel or platform tennis is a rapidly growing sport derived from tennis, but played in smaller courts using a solid racquet, instead of a strung one. Most of the racquet manufacturers drill holes in the head arguing improved aerodynamic performances. The question is, if almost all manufacturers drill aerodynamic holes, are they optimally distributed from the fluid dynamics point of view? In this work, we use a generic racquet model to analyse what is the effect of the holes on the drag forces suffered by the racquet and how these forces are related to the wakes seen by the racquet during its motion. A porosity parameter is defined that takes into account not only the porosity itself but also how it is distributed within the racquet’s head. Digital particle image velocimetry is used to quantify the flow field around the racquet, allowing the identification of different wake topologies that can be related to different drag performances.
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... There are discussions about the better distribution of the holes in the racket faces. In [6], the flow physics of padel rackets with different hole configurations are studied and tested with the conclusion that the actual design lacks scientific attention and could be optimized with holes in the outer part of the head instead of the center. A padel racket comprises two parts, the head and the handle. ...
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