The Joy of Padel podcast with Nikhil Mohindra

The effervescent Nikhil Mohindra is a rising star in the world of padel and a beacon of inspiration for players across the globe. As a padel player for Team GB and the newly appointed ambassador for Padel India, Nikhil shares his uniquejourney into the sport, his battle with asthma on the court, and his unwavering dedication to training. From his initial indifference to padel at age 12 to his full-blown love affair with the game at 17, Nikhil’s story is a testament to finding one’s passion despite the odds.

To find out more about Nikhil Mohindra:

• Find or follow on Instagram: Nikhil.Mohindra
• Find out about Padel India

To listen to the show:

To listen to The Joy of Padel podcast, you can use the embedded player above, or go find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or any number of other podcasting services listed here.

Send in your questions or reactions:

Please send me your questions — as an audio file if you’d like — to nminterdial@gmail.com. Otherwise, below, you’ll find the show notes and, of course, you are invited to comment. If you liked the podcast, please take a moment to review and/or rate it! ¡VAMOS!

Further resources for The Joy of Padel:

Asthma In Sports | David Lloyd Chigwell | Gb padel Team | Indian padel Federation | International padel Tournaments | Jordan Munoz | Mumbai padel Courts | Nikhil Mohindra | padel Court Development | padel India Ambassador | padel Mental Game | padel Partnerships | padel Technique | padel tennis | padel Training Regimen | professional padel player | Racket Sports In India | Rohan Bopanna | Team Gb | World padel Championship

SUMMARY KEYWORDS: padel, play, court, nikhil, india, player, sport, game, fortunate, world, lebron, la county, experience, years, 1000s, racquet sports, tennis, partner, super, cool

SPEAKERS: Minter Dial, Nikhil Mohindra

Minter Dial  00:11

Hola chicas y chicos. So, many thanks for joining me on the Joy of Padel podcast, spreading and sharing the supreme delight of this wonderful and fast-growing game. I’m your host Minter Dial, and this podcast is brought to you by Padel1969, the largest manufacturer of premium padel courts. One Court for Life by Padel1969. The Joy of Padel is part of the Evergreen Podcast Network. For more information about this network, please go check out their site, Evergreenpodcasts.com.

So, this is the second season for the Joy of Padel. And, as with last season, we’ll be running an episode once every fortnight. Please let us know what you think about the show by putting up a rating and a review.

So, for this sixth episode of the joy panel podcast, I’m delighted to bring to you the effervescent Nikhil Mohindra. Nikhil is a rising star in the world of padel and a beacon of inspiration for players across the globe. As a padel player for Team GB and the newly appointed ambassador for Padel India. Nikhil shares his unique journey into the sport, his battle with asthma on the court, and his unwavering dedication to training from his initial indifference to padel at age 12. To his full-blown love affair with the game at 17. Nikhil story is a testament to finding one’s passion, despite the odds. Please enjoy the listen and do share and subscribe to send out more joy of padel to the world. Vamos! Hey, Nikhil Mohindra. Great to have you on the joy of padel. I I’ve seen you play you were a rising star with a lot of activity in the padel world in your own worlds. Nikhil, who are you?

Nikhil Mohindra  02:06

Well, first of all, thank you so much for having me mentor. It’s an absolute pleasure. And yeah, really looking forward to this conversation. And so, my name is Nikhil, Mohindra and the British padel player for Team GB. I’ve been playing for seven years. And I’ve also recently become an ambassador for Padel India. So, yeah, let’s get relations.

Minter Dial  02:27

Yeah, absolutely. It’s brilliant. Well, we’ll discover more than more of that. So, I mean, one of the things that’s is fascinating is that you’re a younger player. And like in Spain, there’s so many young players are actually padel first. So, I was interested to know, when you started off in trouble, how did you get into padel what attracted to you and then what was the sticking power?

Nikhil Mohindra  02:48

So, initially, I never really played tennis, I can’t hit a tennis ball. And I’m not very talented as a as a racquet sports or an athlete in that in that factor at all. But so, I played football, not to a particularly high level, but that was my sport. I always loved playing football, and I was a severe asthmatic. So, playing football is of course extremely demanding and taxing on the body. So, as my asthma developed and got worse, I decided to try and find another sport. And padel was the winner, the second courts installed in our club at David Lloyd Chigwell. So, I found it there. And I kind of just played it a couple of times, didn’t take to it instantly. This was at about 12 years old. So, I played it a couple of times and then left it for five years. I then left school to work for my family business at 16. And then came back to 17. And I don’t know what happened, but absolutely fell in love with it. And now I’m playing every single day and training as hard as I can love it.

Minter Dial  04:00

Well, I enjoy the fact that you talk about your health, but I’m a type one diabetic. And playing with health issues is a thing. So, to what extent because I mean, frankly, when I get into some of the big points, 45 seconds, those 30 points, that 30 Shot points, I can get out of breath. So, I’m having to imagine that you get moments of getting out of breath as well. I mean, you’re a solid player are going to have long points. How does that affect your play?

Nikhil Mohindra  04:28

So, well, actually, for me, it depends a lot on the conditions. So, for example, when I travel on professional tour to let’s say, Lithuania or Sweden or Norway, where it can be a bit on the chilly side, I really get affected and it impacts my breathing. So, I have a routine I have breathing exercises or preventative methods to try and to try and help my breathing throughout the game. But then when I played in the World Championships in Qatar and Dubai, I don’t need the inhaler or to worry about my asthma so much, because it’s not my lungs are kind of constricting. And that so yeah, it’s a lot better in the warmer country than the colder countries.

Minter Dial  05:13

I will Yeah, I can imagine I did have asthma was hay fever and needed asthma in my youth. So, I can relate to the experience of having asthma. Well, good on you for battling through and of course, taking care of your body and health is so important. All the same. You so you, you got into padel Chigwell, you’re playing after the age of 17? How do you decide to become a professional player.

Nikhil Mohindra  05:40

So, I was working with my family business, which is in the Asian clothing market. And we were like the leading brand in the United Kingdom. And honestly, it just, it wasn’t for me, it was, I need to be doing stuff constantly. And for me, I was traveling to India twice a month, which was fantastic. I love that. But then kind of looking at clothing and materials for composition. I’m not very academic, and I don’t really enjoy sitting at a desk. So, I just needed to get my hands on something. And at that stage padel wasn’t necessarily something anyone knew when I played people like, what is that? It’s just what you do on a surfboard or whatever. But now, of course, everyone’s like, Oh, that’s padel. That’s your play with all these guys. And because it’s such a trendy sport, and everyone’s hopping on it now. And so, yeah, so I was lucky enough to invest early sport, and in myself.

Minter Dial  06:42

And that moment to decide to go all in. What was that like? Was that a sort of a conversation with your parents?

Nikhil Mohindra  06:48

Yes, absolutely. So, it’s a bit surreal. Because I mean, there’s a lot of talking, yeah, one day are start playing properly, and one day, but when it actually happens, it does feel you feel very different. Like your routine changes. Everything’s like. It’s like leaving school like everything changes. And so, office really, I still I still work with my father, but in property management. But yeah, it changes a lot. And well, I’m very fortunate that I get to I’m able to do this, my health allows me my, what my parents have done that allows me to do this. And so, yeah, just tried to give him my already.

Minter Dial  07:26

What is it? What does a day in a professional padel power from GB look like? And how much are you doing it at the gym? Because we’re actually recording it while you’re in the gym versus on the court? So, watching video, what does it look like?

Nikhil Mohindra  07:40

Well, so for example, in my in the GB team, I am probably the least athletic in the team. And certainly the weakest and not the fastest. So, I need to definitely put in the work the most I’m not talented at all. But at the moment I’ve taken on a new trainer, which I’ve been working on for about six or seven months, and I’ve come on leaps and bounds. I’ve improved a lot. So, I normally get up at about 515 530. And I’m in the gym by 6am, I train with my trainer from six to 7:30am, I then I think go for breakfast. Eating is something I really struggled to put on weight. It’s something that I’ve had tests for and everything and I need to eat 1000s and 1000s of calories just to maintain my weight, which is super difficult. But I finished breakfast around 830 I then head to the family office, and I’m there until 12 and one it’s around one-ish, then go for another gym session, finished that around three, train padel with the Great Britain team and the guys for a couple of hours, and then have a match in the evening. So, I really liked the diversity I have where I have my family business to break up. It’s not all go-go-go. And on the other side, it’s not all at the desk. It’s also on court and being active.

Minter Dial  09:12

Well, that’s great. And in trying to gain weight, presumably some of that is in muscle trying to build up your muscles as well. Absolutely.

Nikhil Mohindra  09:21

So, not necessarily. Panama, as you know, is not a power base game. It can actually hinder that I have a lot of friends who have gone to the gym and really big but actually hinders your performance or lack of movement. I mean, the harder you hit it not necessarily always. I mean, you’ve got the wall so it’s not always the best thing to do. So, I’m trying to put on weight in the right way. The train I have right now Tom is he’s super fantastic in analyzing and recognizing that bench pressing as much as I can won’t be beneficial for me. More fast explosive movements and injury prevention is what we’re focusing on at the moment. But yeah, trying to put on a little bit more weight and stay healthy is the main concern.

Minter Dial  10:06

Yeah and doing that with healthy food eating more, but also healthy food because going to McDonald’s is one way of gaining weight Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about your experience in Padel India because that was what actually sparked my desire to have you on going to kill. So, you, Alan Healy, who runs Padel India invited you to be part of the ambassador Padel India. So, what is Padel India and what does it mean to be the ambassador of Padel India?

Nikhil Mohindra  10:36

So, Padel India is a newly formed company by Alain Healy, the CEO. He’s originally from Ireland, and he moved to Mumbai for another type of work. He then came across padel and worked closely with the Indian Padel Federation, and is now taking it by storm. He’s got so many projects lined up and he’s really at the forefront of the growth in which is the largest country in the world. So, the sky’s the limit. And even further than that, I really believe that India will be a powerhouse in padel the level of tennis currently, as we speak, the number one doubles player in the world is Indian, Rambo foreigner. And I think that there is there is no limit with the amount of people that will play they’ve got 70 million racquet sports players, which is more than the population of the UK, which is ridiculous. And they’re all crazy fanatics about racquet sports, their badminton, table tennis, tennis, squash, and soon to be padel. So, as we speak, there are about 115 courts last year, there were 10. And we aim to have 500 by the end of the year, and by the end of the decade, and they’ve said they want about 15,000. We’ll see how that goes!

Minter Dial  11:56

Ready to take on Spain! Well, yeah, so you know, my past, I have a long history in Lawn Tennis. And yeah, a lot the Indians that I know in tennis tend to come from doubles, there’s many of them that come to mind are taller, they therefore have big serves, know how to handle the net, and pop balls out of the court. So, there does seem to be a lot of great prospects. And I was thinking just as a little hat tip to Alan, this is actually an Irish shirt, you’re wearing green. But of course, that’s Irish and Irish and orange here, which you can see a little bit of much like India, by the way. Right?

Nikhil Mohindra  12:33

Exactly. Great, great link.

Minter Dial  12:35

We’re color coded. So, Padel India is on the go. This is a movement. It’s to develop padel there with Alan Healy. What is your role as an ambassador and look like what does that mean you’re going to do?

Nikhil Mohindra  12:49

So, as an ambassador, I of course, have to represent the not only the company, but the country as well. So, when I’m visiting, and playing sports and tournaments in these other countries, I have to represent them well. So, that’s a massive responsibility. And I also have to achieve my position of being number one in India. So, as I mentioned previously, I need to be to win the tournaments out there, which is really important to set a precedent and help develop sport. I’m very fortunate enough to be coached by some of the best coaches in the world. Currently, my coaches Jordan and Yoss. He’s a champion of the world, been playing with Paquito Navarro, Juan Lebron. And so, I trained with him out in Alicante, and he’s fortunate enough to be coaching, Great Britain team alongside John Leach, another head coach, so I think all of this experience and expertise that I’ve learned over the years, I can definitely help, share and grow the sport in India.

Minter Dial  13:48

Well, big hat tip to Tom Leach, lovely man, and put your shoe you’re based in Britain, or Alicante, where do you get your play?

Nikhil Mohindra  13:59

So, I’ve spent the last six, six to eight months in Alicante training. A big problem was the visa. So, getting the visa was a struggle but managed to get that sorted, which has now expired. So, it’s a bit difficult with the with the traveling, but um, so now I’m based back in London, I will be traveling back and forth to the LA County and the UK. Whatever my visa allows me to. But for the moment I’m training in London with the GB team, and then Sandy and Tom who you know, so it’s going well, exactly. Yeah, guys.

Minter Dial  14:40

Absolutely, I’ve had Sandy on my show, and I hope to have Tom on here soon enough. Yeah, so what about your game? How would you describe your game you play on the left, right, Nikhil. Correct.

Nikhil Mohindra  14:53

My game is probably the least powerful game you’ll ever see. I’ve Got no power about me, I think the only thing that helps feel makes me a decent player is that I understand the game of padel. And I’ve, I’ve worked on things that that that guy can improve on. So, of course, as I mentioned, I’ve been in the gym trying to build some power, but for me naturally, it hasn’t really come. So, I’m still working on that, but I am working on a lot of speed movement reaction, which is my strengths. So, I feel I have to excel in that in that area to be able to keep my position in the Great Britain team. Incline the world rankings, I play, I play very tactically, not very powerfully. And yeah, that’s it really.

Minter Dial  15:48

Well, that makes for just to reflect back an interesting proposition to pay on the left.

Nikhil Mohindra  15:54

Absolutely. So, I first started playing on the left. And because I always used to play in like social with the beginners at my local club, the better player always seem to be on the left, which is not true at all. But when you when you’re new to padel that’s kind of what everyone thinks it’s actually the more the more tactical play goes on the right so I think perhaps I’d be better poised to play on the right but everyone just wants to play on the left, so it certainly always happens I’m going to style and stand my ground.

Minter Dial  16:27

Well, well, if we ever get a chance to play I will be very happy to play on your right I think there’s a lot of enjoyment and you know, and differences in both sides. And clearly there is this notion of always want to play on the left is sort of almost a masculine, you know, shows Yeah, look, I got I got it all going. But you were How would you describe yourself as an animal if you had to think of your padel tennis in animalistic terms?

Nikhil Mohindra  16:57

Poorly? Well, we actually do this in the GB team, we give everyone nicknames as animals. So, I’ve been given a bit of a strange one but the octopus on deck. Exactly. So, as an adult, I’m quite fast I quite tall and my reach is quite wide. So, I managed to kind of to get to all the balls, but also not very threatening. When I’ve got a ball to kill, but you know, I’ve got some surprises, like the octopus, like maybe some ink or something.

Minter Dial  17:36

That is gorgeous. You’re my very first octopus. And I can hardly imagine, oh, I’ll get another one. Right. So, as you’ve been developing, and obviously trying to find your space and you know, with your mixture, what you come with? What’s your favorite shot? Do you have one that stands out for you?

Nikhil Mohindra  17:58

So, my favorite shot is for me most likely the vibrato or the ruler. So, I have been I don’t have a smash. So, I need to find a way to be effective with overheads. So, I’ve practiced with these a lot. The vibrato I’ve been working countless hours with Jordan when you’re in Alicante, and there’s no one better to learn it from then from the master himself. So, he’s absolutely fantastic. So, trying to get that really effective and being a threat. I think I’ve improved it a lot. So, I’d have to say that shocks you get a lot of satisfaction when you when you feel it, right?

Minter Dial  18:35

That’s for sure. When you zing it in. A question for you. I mean, I obviously I’m an older man. So, I have a very different concepts of what I want to do. But I’ve been hearing that the Mandela, this famous tray shot that the English like to say a bandeka. But it’s not quite as popular in the pro tour these days. I mean, there’s Bela, who’s still, you know, push pushes back his bandeja with comfort. But is it something that you use? Is it something that you’re weaning off? Where are we with the bandeja?

Nikhil Mohindra  19:10

So, it’s a great question. So, in in the men’s game, you very rarely see that bandeja. It’s either a vibora, or it’s a smash, or the rulo. Or because in the in the women’s game, it’s a bit of a slower game so you can play the bandeja defensive shot, it keeps you at the net. But if you pay the bandeja a lot of the game and in the in the premier padel now, people approaching the net and being able to block it. So, playing the slow band deck doesn’t necessarily work in the men’s game and the elite level their player is absolutely insane to watch. So, it’s more and more becoming more of a power game. As you said, Juan Martin or Bela. They played the bandeja which is more defensive and slow. But now you see the likes of Tapia, Coello, LeBron and Galan, they are all powerhouses, absolutely killing the ball. So, the bandeja won’t work against them.

Minter Dial  20:07

No doubt. All right, what about what about a shot you’re trying to improve? I was just going to go. So, let me just go back one second to the rulo. I played a very handy Portuguese player just recently, and he kind of hit what I would characterize as a rulo, which are sort of the, the, for those starting status, the shot that basically is high over your head and use plunking from the left into the side netting. That’s generally the rulo. And I reserve it for when I’m on the last third on the left side of the court. So, I got the furthest distance to it to be able to plunk it in. But there I there’s some players that know how to sort of hit it in from even the middle of the court when you are playing on the left. Well, what about you, what’s your approach with the rulo?

Nikhil Mohindra  20:59

The rulo for me is, the more angle you have, the more likely you’re going to go for it. So, the more central you are, the harder of course the angle is to get to the cage. So, I generally it’s a rule of thumb, if it is more towards the middle, I pay more of a vibrato to the corner, or slow to the middle. And if I had more angle, that’s when I either try to kick it out for three, which I’m used to set. Or hey, go for the rulo.

Minter Dial  21:27

That’s me too. What about the shot that you’re trying to improve on that what’s the one year the keenest thing you need work on?

Nikhil Mohindra  21:33

It’s got to be the Smash is just got to be the explosiveness and hitting it out of court or bringing it back. That is where I lack the most. If I managed to get that my game will improve drastically.

Minter Dial  21:45

And are you working on a flat smash or be the kick?

Nikhil Mohindra  21:49

Well, I find it hard to kick the ball because I’m not naturally a tennis player that has that second serve technique, but I don’t necessarily have the flat power for a flat Smash. So, I think I try and more to get the kick because it requires more technique. So, I’m practicing that a lot more than the flat.

Minter Dial  22:11

Yeah, because ultimately, once you have the technique, it doesn’t actually require as much power. You just don’t need to flick it. You have to hit it high. Yeah, the next time you work on your jump smash.

Nikhil Mohindra  22:23

Exactly, yeah, I’ll try that. But also with a kick. I have, like, go back to Sandy and Tom, who are absolutely phenomenal tennis players. They’re helping me a lot with that technique. So, working on that very, very frequently to try and get that so yeah.

Minter Dial  22:40

All right. What about on the pro tour? Do you watch a lot of the pro tour?

Nikhil Mohindra  22:44

Yeah, so I watched a lot of it and I was actually in Dubai a couple of weeks ago with Lebron and Galan having breakfast with them so that was pretty cool and then watching them going on to the Saudi padel. So, that was a pretty cool experience.

Minter Dial  23:00

Pero hablas espanol con ellos?

Nikhil Mohindra  23:03

Estoy aprendiendo, pero hablo muy mal. Yeah, but I don’t speak very well.

Minter Dial  23:10

I think Juan speaks the same level of English as opposed to Ale. Well, that’s very cool. So, amongst the pro players, who inspires you?

Nikhil Mohindra  23:23

To me, the attitude of DiNenno is I really, really liked how he plays he’s, his people think he like he’s passive. Like if you were to watch him as a non-padel player, Oh, you’re so easy. He doesn’t do anything. But he actually is probably the most one of the most effective players on the tour. He’s so intelligent. He hasn’t necessarily got a killer shot. But the way he plays is, is the equivalent of Einstein on court. He knows where to put the ball. He knows when to play it hard or when to play soft. And I think I like him, but on the left. I wish I played like him. But about 1000 levels down. I feel like I’m him on the left.

Minter Dial  24:03

Well, you are the top 400. So, you’re much closer than 1000 in the world. Congratulations for that. Yeah. The thing about DiNenno, he reminds me of a younger Sanyo [Gutierrez].

Nikhil Mohindra  24:15

Yeah, so you actually yeah.

Minter Dial  24:18

And what about on the women’s tour? Do you have any women that you particularly enjoy watching?

Nikhil Mohindra  24:22

So, I like I like to watch Ari Sanchez. I have I’ve been lucky and fortunate enough to train with her a few times in Barcelona with her coach Paola, Paola’s a former champion of the world and she’s absolutely fantastic. She’s an amazing person. So, training with both of them has been just super cool experience and watching her you know, be world number one and winning all these titles is super cool.

Minter Dial  24:48

With Jose Maria Paola, so what about when you choose a partner? How do you go about choosing partners? I think is one of the trickiest least spoken about out elements of padel.

Nikhil Mohindra  25:02

Yes, exactly. So, I don’t necessarily have that experience of competing at a high level in, in tennis, or, or such. But what I look for is someone is who’s always positive. I think that’s the most important even if the level was in there, as soon as your partner, the one person who’s on your side, on the court gets annoyed, that’s is not going to work. I mean, I’m sure that’s one of the reasons why Galan and Lebron split up because Galan wasn’t fond of Lebron’s attitude, I think. But I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have partners such as Sandy who have played within the world championships and European Championships. He has such a rich, rich background of competing, and the experience is second to none. So, he’s really managed to help me develop as a player. And he’s told me a lot on and off the court. So, yeah.

Minter Dial  25:58

That’s lovely. What about the communication piece? Where are you in, in communications? And how important is that for you, in your play?

Nikhil Mohindra  26:09

I think that is probably if most important thing in the court more important than your technical and technique aspects because being able to communicate with your partner and be positive and be on the same wavelength, wavelength, as your partner really allows you to flourish as a partnership, and, and ultimately, be successful. But also have the same understanding, being able to tell each other where you want to play the ball, what you’re feeling each point how to how to understand the opponents. I think it’s, vital. And yeah, as I said, it’s in as important as your level on the court.

Minter Dial  26:52

Well, you can imagine that I totally agree. Excuse me. So, what about, you’ve been now playing for seven years? What’s the funniest thing that’s happened to you on padel court? Were all around padel that giving you the most joy perhaps?

Nikhil Mohindra  27:14

Well, I wouldn’t say Well, the most enjoyable moment for me ever is, is putting on that great brilliant t shirt and, and representing your country in center stadium World Championships. But also all the hard work and training gets you such fantastic experience to play with elite athletes outside of padel who are the best in their sport. So, being fortunate enough to play with World Cup winner Josh Butler, who I’ve partnered a few times he’s recruited to apps. Exactly, he’s a fantastic athlete and honestly the nicest guy. He’s so he’s just so down to earth and what he’s what he has achieved is amazing. I’ve also been playing a lot with one of the best footballers of all time, John Terry is either fantastic of course athlete, and a super lovely and humble guy, and to be able to play with someone who’s achieved so much him and Josh’s is a bit surreal. And yeah, so perks like this is yeah, it makes you think how fortunate you are to play the sport.

Minter Dial  28:20

If I’m not mistaken Terry was also captain of the English football team.

Nikhil Mohindra  28:25

Absolutely yeah Champions League when a captain that World Cups Premier League winner I mean, I don’t think there’s any he’s one of the greatest defenders and footballers of all time.

Minter Dial  28:37

In the realm or the concept of padel, that defensive posture is not unhelpful either presumably!

Nikhil Mohindra  28:45

No, exactly. And well, it same actually goes from Josh. He is wicketkeeper and is one of the best batsman in the game of cricket. So, both of them have attributes that really, really good work well with padel their reactions, their strong body, body posture and positioning really helps them so yeah, fortunate to play with them.

Minter Dial  29:08

Yeah, somebody else that doesn’t really come up a lot but footwork. Yeah. I was just talking about padel and everything above the waist. Yeah, that stuff down below.

Nikhil Mohindra  29:20

It’s just as important. Yeah, absolutely. If you’re not in the right position, and if you don’t know how to move, then you might as well not have a padel on your hand. But a being able to move in understanding how to move. Like for example, when I play against people who are much more athletic than me who have never paid pad or who are like gym goers or really fit run marathons, they’d come to play padel and they’d be sweating so much more than I am just because they don’t know how to move yet or their footwork isn’t up to speed with what they know what they should do, but I’m sure the same would be marathoner would be able to keep up with them every day it but yeah.

Minter Dial  30:00

Yeah, I think I’d get tired before the start line of a marathon. So, let’s say you’ve been playing pal for seven years, what’s a lesson that padel has brought you in life off the court?

Nikhil Mohindra  30:14

Lesson that padel was brought to me off of the court… will definitely be to slow everything down. I know that sounds a bit weird, but a lot of the time in sports, everything’s like rushing, rushing, rushing, but actually take a step back, enjoy it, breathe, and enjoy, enjoy the small things in life. Because I mean, I’ve had outside of the court, I’ve had a lot of things. On the family side, go on Sao Paulo helps me a lot in that in that aspect, where it’s not rush, rush, rush, relax, understand the point, understand what you’ve done, take your time. And yeah, get ready to go again.

Minter Dial  30:56

I love that that sounds like a very wise lesson. And we it’s true, we live in this sort of hyper connected world and all the messaging and social media and everything, and the pace with which everything is going the idea of taking a breath, relaxing, slowing down, taking prospective, and and being present.

Nikhil Mohindra  31:19

Absolutely. So, I’ve one thing I’ve really struggled with is the mental aspect of my sport, I tend to get really nervous and I tend to worry a lot. I’ve had a lot of coaching, I’ve had a lot of help from some of the world’s best. And being present in the moment, as you just mentioned, is the most important thing. If you’re not there, if you’re not present, it’s you might as well be at home in your bed, sleeping. So, working on really focusing. And I think one person, probably the best in the world of that is the greatest tennis player of all time Novak jockey, which he goes on about how that is more important than the gym work. Just the mind work in your mind and being present, understanding why you’re here and focusing, not necessarily blocking out all of these 1000s of thoughts that are coming in, but let them come in and kind of like a fire organize them in your head. So, you’re, you’re ready to go. And yeah, so he’s someone that obviously helps millions of people in in what, what they do.

Minter Dial  32:24

And I’ve seen him on a padel court. Job. Yes. Yeah, to meet him at Queen’s club ones. So, you’re now the rep ambassador for Padel India, when’s your tournament? Do you have one lined up for you? What’s the future of padel for you looking like Nikhil.

Nikhil Mohindra  32:44

So, I’m very fortunate that I think I have a few avenues to go down at the moment. So, I have a tournament on the 20th of May in Hyderabad in southeast India, which will be super cool, I’ve never been there, hopefully I can get my first Indian ranking points. But the future padel, I feel I have well, as you know, padel you can play to quite a late age. And in the professional circuit, I feel the prime is around 26 to 30 or 28 to 32. So, you have really have a good window of experience and, and physicality that you can grow into. But I also have a lot going on the development side of power within the UK as well as India. So, I’ve just formed this company called our three alongside, yes, our three alongside my business partner Jonathan Rowland, where we’ll be looking to develop and help the growth. So, at the moment, we manage more than half of the Great Britain polo team with the license to the largest and best brand in padel, which is bull padel. So, we helped grow that market here. We like to do many more big things here in the UK as we really want to sport with the players and give them more opportunities.

Minter Dial  34:04

Well, that’s exciting. So, hopefully when that goes down when there’s more development, well, we’ll have a maybe another focus on that project. And what about the future of padel in India? How do you describe that? I mean, where were you talked about the number of courts that are coming up? Where do you where’s the hub of padel going to be in India, do you think so?

Nikhil Mohindra  34:29

For now, I think the hub is in Bangalore. They have many courts come in Alan’s doing a fantastic job. He’s, he’s really building it up there. So, the hub what I would say for now will be in Bangalore, but then you have all these superstars. I mean, when you’re a superstar in India, it’s like no other. You have Instagram followers of two 300 million. You have superstars on every corner. It’s absolutely crazy. And when someone in India picks up a paddy racquet who’s famous, everyone will follow. I mean, you’ve Got some superstars playing now? Everyone started to get to know what it is and investors and private funds investing heavily now. So, it’s I think, if there is a country within 15 years that will be up there. It’s most definitely India. As I mentioned before the they have the expertise of all the racquet sports in tennis, squash table tennis, badminton. So, of course, just the sheer number of players they have is ridiculous. And they have access to a lot of load of things. So, yeah, it can be definitely one of them.

Minter Dial  35:34

And in terms of the development of courts, the planning and permissions aren’t quite as complicated.

Nikhil Mohindra  35:43

No, so you just pick a land and you just go build a court there, really. So, I’ve been I’ve been trying to develop a few padel courts here in England, and oh, my gosh, tapes, maybe 123 years tally, from Mission surveys, snail surveys, if there’s a snail here, you can’t build the worms. It’s extremely tough. But in India, it’s a lot more lenient. But so, yeah, hopefully that will allow the growth to happen exponentially and won’t stunt the growth.

Minter Dial  36:12

I have to imagine Indian climate being what it is covered is better.

Nikhil Mohindra  36:18

Yes. So, it’s obviously quite heavily polluted there as well. It’s quite dusty. So, having it covered, I think it’s essential with the heat. I was there last week, it was 35 degrees, and it’s not even summertime. Yeah. So, it is super much. Yeah. So, but then you also have to contrast that the monsoon season which absolutely is crazy. But yeah, I think you’re definitely correct in saying that canopy is the best way forward. But also like when I went to Japan, they’ve their house fortunate for them, they actually can’t hope I’m corrected, but I heard are speaking to some of the guys at the Federation, they can’t build over a certain height because they’re in the tectonic plate because of earthquakes. So, it’s a real pain for them. It’s super hot there. So, I don’t know the way around that. But yes, in India, the Kelpies would be the best way.

Minter Dial  37:10

For sure. And in England a listen, Miguel been great to have you on my show. I need any last words and how can people follow you? I mean, hopefully a bunch of Indians are going to say, Hey, this is this is my dude.

Nikhil Mohindra  37:25

You say? You can follow me on Instagram. It’s just my name Nikhil don’t Mohindra 10 on LinkedIn and yeah, it’d be really cool to follow my journey and see how we can grow padel not only in India in the UK, but worldwide.

Minter Dial  37:40

Well, I would love to get a chance to play in India. I think I’ve hit 20 countries in which I’ve played so far. And also even get a chance to be on a court with you Nikhil, I really appreciate it. Thanks for coming on my show. Wish you fabulous luck. Keep at it and bomb us for the joy of battle.

So, I hope you’ve enjoyed this Joy of Padel episode. Please don’t forget to subscribe to be the first in queue for the next episode. And if you like what you hear, please do share it around with other padel aficionados. This is a sport that deserves to be played by absolutely everyone. And if you’ve got a story that you’d like to share, please send me an email or a better yet a voice note at NMinterDial@gmail.com With that, thanks for listening. And see you on the next episode of the Joy of Padel podcast. ¡ Vamos !