JAKARTA — A once-niche sport is staging a stylish breakout across Indonesia. Welcome to the era of padel — a hybrid of tennis and squash with athletic appeal and a cool image that is sweeping through the country’s better-off city dwellers.
Originating in Mexico, padel has quickly captured the imagination of Indonesians seeking something fresh, fun and — importantly — Instagrammable. The sport is typically played in doubles format inside a compact, glass-walled court, where players can ricochet balls off the walls, as in squash.
