What is padel: a doubles racket sport played on a 20m by 10m court enclosed by glass walls and metal mesh. Players use solid, perforated rackets with no strings, and a ball similar to a tennis ball but with slightly lower pressure. The walls are part of the game - after the ball bounces on the ground, it can be played off the back or side glass. Scoring is the same as tennis (15-30-40-game), but the serve must be hit underarm and bounced first. Most people can rally within their first session.
What is padel: the short version
Padel is a doubles racket sport played on a 20m by 10m enclosed court surrounded by glass walls and metal mesh. Players use solid, perforated rackets with no strings, and a ball similar to a tennis ball but with slightly lower pressure. Like in squash, the walls are part of the game: after the ball bounces on the ground, it can be played off the back or side glass. Scoring uses the same 15-30-40-game system as tennis, but the serve must be hit underarm and bounced before contact.
The combination of an enclosed court, walls in play, doubles-only format and underarm serve makes padel uniquely accessible. Most people can rally within their first session - a stark contrast to tennis, which typically takes weeks to enjoy properly. That accessibility is the main reason padel has grown from a Spanish niche to a global sport in under two decades.
How padel is played
Padel is always played 2-versus-2. The serve must be underarm, bounced first on the servers side of the service box, then hit diagonally into the opposite service box without touching the side glass before its first bounce. Once the rally starts, the ball must bounce on the floor before touching any wall. Players can let the ball rebound off their own back glass and play it on the way out, which is one of the sports most distinctive skills.
- Always doubles - 2 players per side, no singles in standard play
- Serve must be underarm and below waist height
- Ball must bounce on the floor before hitting any wall
- You can play the ball off your own walls after it bounces
- Scoring is identical to tennis: 15, 30, 40, game, 6 games per set
- Most matches are best of three sets
The full rulebook is covered in our racket guide context - padel rules are simple enough to grasp in a single session but nuanced enough to reward hundreds of hours of play.
The padel court
A regulation padel court measures 20m long by 10m wide, divided in half by a net 0.88m high in the middle. The court is enclosed by walls: glass at the back ends and the rear portions of the sides, and metal mesh on the front portions of the sides. Court surface is artificial turf with sand infill, similar to a hockey pitch. The walls are 3m high at the back and step down at the sides.
The walls being in play is what gives padel its unique character. A ball hit hard to the back of the court will rebound off the glass, giving the defending team a chance to play it on the way out. This rewards patience and positioning over raw power.
Equipment you need
Padel uses three pieces of dedicated equipment.
- Racket - solid, no strings, made of EVA foam core with carbon or fibreglass faces. Round, teardrop or diamond shaped. See our racket buying guide.
- Ball - looks like a tennis ball but is slightly smaller (6.35-6.77cm) and has lower internal pressure for the slower bounce padel requires.
- Shoes - clay-court tennis shoes or padel-specific shoes with a herringbone sole for grip on sand-infilled turf. See our best padel shoes guide.
Padel vs tennis vs pickleball
Padel is often confused with tennis and pickleball. Here is how they actually differ.
| Padel | Tennis | Pickleball | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court size | 20m x 10m | 23.8m x 8.2m | 13.4m x 6.1m |
| Walls in play | Yes | No | No |
| Racket | Solid, no strings | Strung | Solid paddle |
| Format | Doubles only | Singles or doubles | Singles or doubles |
| Serve | Underarm | Overhead | Underarm |
| Scoring | 15-30-40-game | 15-30-40-game | Rally to 11 |
| Time to first rally | Same session | 2-3 weeks | Same session |
For a deeper comparison see our padel vs tennis guide.
Why padel is exploding in popularity
Three factors drive padels growth. First, accessibility - the small court, doubles format and walls in play mean rallies happen immediately, even between complete beginners. Second, social structure - doubles by definition means four people on court, making it inherently social compared to singles tennis. Third, low injury rate - the slower ball, smaller court and underarm serve put far less strain on shoulders, knees and backs than tennis or running.
Spain led the early adoption, with over 6 million players in a country of 47 million. Italy, France, Sweden and the UK have followed in the past five years. The Premier Padel professional tour now hosts events on five continents, and major sponsors including Qatar Sports Investments back the sports global expansion.
How to start playing
Starting padel is straightforward. Most clubs rent rackets for first-time players and many run beginner sessions on weekday evenings.
- Find a local padel club using a court-finder app or Google Maps
- Book a court for an hour with three other people - padel needs four
- Ask the club to lend you rackets and balls for your first session
- Take one or two coaching sessions early to learn the bandeja and court positioning
- Buy your own racket only after 3-4 sessions, once you know what feels right
For a full beginner roadmap see our complete beginners guide. When youre ready to buy your first racket, the racket finder quiz matches you to a frame in three questions.
Find your first padel racket
Three questions, one personalised recommendation.