DENVER — Outside might be the last place people would want to be with the extreme cold settling over Denver, but for some, they said it's the place where they need to be.
Saturday, dozens of pairs showed up to the Arapahoe Tennis Club for a day of paddle tennis.
"We just love paddle," player Auggie Givan said. "We love being out here. Even when it’s 4 degrees, we still make it happen."
Professionals said colder temperatures can actually benefit the game.
"You can play in any conditions that you want to, but it’s a different game depending on the temperature, Matt Kranich, ATC director of tennis and paddle said. "The ball will compress differently today than in December when it was 40 degrees warmer."
The game looks similar to pickleball, but Kranich said the two sports have just as many differences as they do similarities.
"The dimensions of the court are the same as pickleball, but the differences are the screens behind and the surface of the court," Kranich said. "And so you can let the ball actually go behind you in this game and still play it off the screens."
Paddle tennis is played on elevated, heated courts and inside a chicken-wire-lined cage. Despite the heat coming from the court, Kranich said lots of layers and hand warmers are needed to play the game.
He said even for paddle tennis players, there are temperatures that are too cold.
"When it’s not safe to be outside, and we did discuss that and talked to a doctor about it, and they thought it would be okay, we do encourage people to take breaks and come inside between sets and other things just to stay warm," Kranich said. "At a certain point, as the director I will have to say we can’t play, but today was just on the borderline and we decided to do it because if I cancelled, people would be upset about it. These people want to come out."
Despite the freezing temperatures, Givan knew he couldn't miss an opportunity to play the game he loves. He entered into Saturday's tournament with his mother.
"I don’t know sometimes why I’m out here too, but then I get on the court and start playing and we have a great point that goes back and forth and we’re just out here having a blast," Givan said. "So it kind of makes sense why we’re out here, but also, it’s ice cold so I understand why people would think it’s nuts to be out here."
He said the best way to keep warm outside is to play.
"That’s the thing, we need to," Givan said. "'Cause this is everything to us."
Even though some welcomed the cold, the freezing temperatures did inhibit part of the tournament. Kranich said ice froze over one of the courts, making it unsafe to play on.
The tournament moved from five courts to four and continued on.
"This is the best unknown sport of all time," Givan said.
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