ultimate guide: What Is Padel Tennis?

Padel tennis is a dynamic sport that blends elements of tennis, squash, and table tennis. Played with a sturdy, stringless racket, it is accessible to a wide range of players, from beginners to seasoned athletes. While physical strength and muscle endurance are important, padel is primarily about strategy, positioning, and technique, making it ideal for people of all ages. It’s a game that doesn’t require a high level of fitness to start, yet provides enough challenges for even the most experienced players.

Over the past few years, padel has experienced a remarkable growth surge. In Spain alone, around 6-10 million people are actively playing padel, while traditional tennis only attracts around 200,000 participants. This rapid growth is not limited to Spain—padel is gaining popularity worldwide. In countries like the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, and the United States, it is now considered the fastest-growing sport.

Padel tennis was first invented by Enrique Corcuera in Acapulco, Mexico, in 1969. Corcuera developed the game by adapting tennis to a smaller, enclosed court with walls, allowing for more complex plays using the walls. Since then, the sport has evolved significantly, with major tournaments and professional tours gaining momentum.

The Padel Tennis Professional Tour (PPT), established in 2005, was created to provide a platform for professional players to showcase their skills. The most prestigious event in the sport is the World Padel Tour (WPT), which began in Spain and has grown to include international tournaments. In 2019, 6 out of 19 WPT events were held outside of Spain, a clear indication of the sport’s increasing global appeal.

Padel tennis is usually played in doubles on an enclosed court that is about one-third the size of a standard tennis court. The dimensions of a typical padel court are 20 meters long and 10 meters wide. In singles play, the court is reduced to 6 meters by 20 meters.

The game follows the same scoring system as tennis, with points being counted as 15, 30, and 40, and matches generally played in the best-of-three sets. The most significant difference from traditional tennis lies in the walls surrounding the court. The ball can be played off the walls, much like in squash, allowing for a wider variety of shots and strategies.

Here’s a simple breakdown of the gameplay:

• Serve: The serve is always underhand and must be delivered below waist height. It should land in the opponent’s diagonal service box. The server is allowed two attempts to make a valid serve.
• Rally: After the serve, the ball must bounce once on the opponent’s side before hitting the wall. Players are allowed to use the walls to return the ball, but only after it has bounced.
• Point: A rally continues until one team either hits the ball out of bounds, allows the ball to bounce twice, or hits the ball into the fence before it bounces.

The standard padel court measures 20 meters in length and 10 meters in width. This is approximately one-third the size of a regular tennis court. For singles play, the court dimensions are adjusted to 6 meters by 20 meters. The smaller court size allows for faster-paced games, where reflexes, anticipation, and positioning become critical skills for success.

Padel tennis uses the same scoring system as tennis. The game is typically played as best-of-three sets. The scoring sequence is as follows:

• 0 (love)
• 15
• 30
• 40
• Game

If both teams are tied at 40-40 (deuce), the next point won gives one team an advantage. If the team with the advantage wins the next point, they win the game. If they lose, the score goes back to deuce. A set is won when a team wins 6 games, with a 2-game lead. If the score reaches 5-5, a tiebreaker may be played to determine the winner.

Serving

• The serve must be underhand, and the ball should bounce once before being hit.
• The ball must land in the opponent’s diagonal service box.
• The server must stay within 20 cm of the center or side lines while serving.
• Players have two attempts to serve correctly.

Gameplay

• After the serve, the ball must bounce once on the opponent’s court before hitting the wall or fence.
• Players can hit the ball off the walls, but only after the ball has bounced on the floor.
• A point is won when a team:
  • Hits the ball out of bounds.
  • Lets the ball bounce twice.
  • Hits the ball into the fence before it bounces.

Unlike traditional tennis rackets, padel rackets are solid, stringless, and usually made of composite materials such as fiberglass or carbon fiber. These rackets are much smaller and have holes in them to reduce weight, making them easier to handle for quick movements and precise shots. The racket’s surface is flat, which gives players more control over the ball.

The ball used in padel is similar in size and appearance to a tennis ball, but it has lower air pressure, resulting in less bounce. This characteristic ensures a different playing experience compared to tennis, where the ball tends to bounce higher.

Padel tennis has a growing professional scene, with several prestigious tournaments attracting top-level competition worldwide:

1. World Padel Tour (WPT): The most well-known padel tournament, with events held across the globe.
2. Premier Padel: A series of international events featuring some of the world’s best players.
3. European Padel Championship: The premier event for European players.
4. American Padel Tour: A growing professional tour in the United States.
5. Padel World Championships: The global championship for national teams, showcasing the sport at the highest level.

In addition to these major events, local tournaments are held in many countries, providing opportunities for both amateur and professional players to compete. To stay up to date on upcoming tournaments, you can follow official padel channels and media outlets.

For more information on the Premier Padel Tour, check out their official website here.

Whether you’re looking for a fun way to stay active or aiming to compete at the highest levels, padel tennis offers something for everyone. Its low-impact nature makes it an excellent sport for players of all ages and skill levels, while the strategic depth ensures it remains exciting even for experienced players. The continued growth of the sport around the world reflects its accessibility and appeal.

If you haven’t tried padel yet, now is the perfect time to pick up a racket and discover why this sport is gaining such global momentum. With its unique blend of skill, strategy, and fun, padel tennis is ready to take the world by storm.