There’s no denying that 2021 is the year <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/uae-tennis-players-fuel-momentum-for-padel-tennis-as-participation-grows-in-the-country-1.633806" target="_blank">padel tennis</a> truly took off. There are now a number of venues in the UAE dedicated to this racquet sport, which is a mix between tennis and squash. It’s so popular that the Dubai Fitness Challenge even launched an inaugural Dubai Padel Cup tournament. Spanning 5,000 square metres, Matcha Club is one of the newest venues offering sports enthusiasts a space to play padel tennis, with some Instagram-worthy interiors to boot. The venue opened in Al Quoz earlier this year, with six outdoor courts lined with greenery, making it a soothing spot to learn and practice the sport during UAE’s cooler months. Matcha Club also offers racquets and balls on rent, as well as coaches on-site to help you perfect your swerves. For those feeling peckish after their session, Matcha Club's new dining concept Nette, which had a soft launch earlier this month, will begin serving food on Saturday. The brainchild of the people behind Dubai cafe Cassette, Nette aims to fuse French dining with the flavours of Japan. If you’re wondering what that means, the menu, designed by chef Shaunne Cordier, features flavours of miso, taragosia, mirin and tamari throughout. Think sweet and savoury breakfast options such as the honey matcha bowl and egg sando sandwich. For lunch and dinner, there's the miso-braised beef French dip sandwich and the avocado and seaweed salad sandwich. For a sweet treat, there are vegan matcha and chocolate eclairs, Japanese souffle creme brulee buttermilk pancakes and French toast served with matcha mascarpone and yuzu curd. A range of healthy beverages, as well as coffee from Three Roasters Coffee, will also be available. All of this is housed within a tranquil space dotted with greenery and lemon trees. The restaurant features an open coffee bar flanked by floor-to-ceiling glass windows, while guests can also opt to sit in a shaded courtyard outside. The geometrical design featuring hues of terracotta, green, grey and beige has been subtly inspired by the sport of padel tennis, its court and net. “From both a design and dining perspective, Nette will be a place for people to connect, unwind and enjoy really great food and service,” explains Haider Madani, restaurant owner and founder. “Being set within Matcha Club is the perfect brand alignment for us and we can’t wait for Dubai to discover this cool corner of the city.” Matcha Club has been designed to be a “mindful escape from the hustle and bustle” of city life. It also features an indoor "movement studio", where popular UAE instructors lead yoga and meditation classes. Apart from plenty of cosy spots where you can enjoy a cuppa surrounded by greenery, the interiors also feature solar-heated showers and recycled wood. “In the conceptual stages of Matcha, our goal was to create more than a padel club; we wanted to foster a community made up of people looking to live their best lives,” says partner Lucas Basset-Chercot. “With cutting-edge padel tennis courts designed for pure, simple fun, a line-up of amazing wellness experts, and contemporary, cool dining at Nette, we are confident that it will be a much-welcomed addition to Dubai.” Prices for padel tennis sessions start at Dh125 per person for a group of four for a single session, with packages available. Prices for the yoga classes start at Dh95 for newcomers and is then Dh115 for a single class, Dh475 for five classes or Dh900 for 10 classes. <i>More information is available at </i><a href="https://www.matcha-club.ae/" target="_blank"><i>matcha-club.ae</i></a>
