What is Padel Tennis?

When was padel invented?

Padel tennis was invented in 1969 in Mexico, by a businessman who set up the very first court in his holiday home! However that wasn't the beginning of the sport, because that goes back even further to the 19th century. British passengers on cruise ships would play a version of tennis in miniature - this became so popular that they then replaced tennis rackets with the sports first ever padel rackets! As the rackets evolved, so did the courts with wooden floors and high surrounding fences to avoid losing balls.

But until the 1960s when Enrique Corcuera set up his court, the sport was officially recognised. He announced the sport ‘Paddle Corceura’ - which of course became the sport we are now obsessed with.

Where did padel originate?

Padel originated in Mexico in Acupulco in the home of a wealthy Mexican businessman called Enrique Corcuera.

How big is a padel court?

Padel is taking over - you may have even heard Djokovic say ‘tennis is in danger from padel’. One of the reasons is that Padel is a much smaller court than tennis!

Not only does this mean you can get almost 2 padel courts across a tennis court but the game is a lot more accessible to those with more limited mobility! While a padel court is bigger than a squash court - padel is a doubles game so you do share the space - therefore again covering minimal ground.

How They Feel in Play

Padel strikes a balance between the explosive rallies of squash and the longer court coverage of tennis. It’s fast-paced, strategic, and social—partly because you're always playing doubles on a compact court.
Squash is the most intense in terms of movement per square metre. It's quick, close-quarters combat.
Tennis rewards big serves and powerful groundstrokes, with more space to construct points.

Takeaway: Court Size in Perspective

A padel court is about 3x the size of a squash court.
It's roughly 75% the size of a doubles tennis court, but the enclosed walls add a whole new dynamic.

So whether you're switching from squash or tennis, padel offers a fresh spin—quite literally—with its unique use of space and walls.

Is padel the same as pickleball?

We get asked this a lot—“Is padel basically the same as pickleball?” Short answer: not really. They might both be fun, fast-paced racket sports with a big social vibe, but they’re actually quite different once you step onto the court.

Padel is like the baby of tennis and squash. Padel is played in a glass-walled court about 1/3 smaller than tennis, always in doubles, with solid rackets and balls similar to tennis (but with a bit less bounce - so a little smaller). The walls are part of the game, so you get angles, rebounds, and some really creative rallies.

Pickleball is a bit more like the cousin of table tennis and the brother-in-law of badminton. Like badminton, the court is flat and open. They are even similar sizes. But Pickleball uses paddles which look like bigger versions of table tennis bats, but the ball is bigger, plastic with perforated holes. Unlike Padel, in pickleball there are no walls but like padel it’s super accessible and great for quick reactions and touch.

Which one’s right for you?

It really depends what you are after? Are you looking for more of a sweat? A sport that gets you moving? If yes, then Padel is for you. If you have quite a limited mobility and are after something more chill, pickleball might be for you.

We're biased, of course—but we love how padel brings together power, strategy, and fun in a way that’s totally addictive. Once you try it, you’ll get why it's the fastest-growing sport in Europe- well the WORLD!

Can you play padel on a tennis court or squash court?

Not really—padel needs its own setup.

A tennis court is too big, and without the glass walls, you lose one of padel’s best features: playing off the bounce. You could try a casual knockabout with cones and imagination, but it’s not the real deal.

Squash courts are way too small, and the flooring, walls, and ceiling height are all totally different. So if you're serious about giving padel a go, it’s worth finding a proper court.

Are padel balls the same as tennis balls?

We get asked this question all the time. Everyone wants to know why they can't use their old tennis balls, they now use to play fetch with their dog! Well in fact padel balls are slightly smaller and have lower pressure, which means they bounce a bit less. That’s important for how the game plays—shorter, faster rallies and more control near the walls.

You can hit with a tennis ball in a pinch, but it’ll bounce higher and make the game feel off. If you're buying balls, go for padel-specific ones—it makes a difference.

How to play padel tennis?

Padel is a doubles game played on an enclosed court made of mostly glass! The scoring works the same way as tennis, the ball can only bounce on the ground once, the serve alternates from the left to the right each point and then sides every odd number of games. But really that's as far as it goes, the serve is underhanded but the biggest twist is those glass walls can be played off of - just like squash. That opens up angles, rebounds, and loads of creative shot options.

It’s easy to learn but hard to master—perfect if you want something social but still competitive. Most people are playing proper rallies within their first 10 minutes.

Can you play padel singles?

Yes, but it’s not the norm.

Standard padel is designed for doubles, and the court size makes that format ideal. But there are singles courts (10m x 6m) used in some places for training or one-on-one matches.

If you try playing singles on a normal-sized padel court, be ready to cover a lot of ground and work up a major sweat.

How to choose a padel racket?

Choosing a racket is a big decision and often an investment. We want to make sure that you are choosing a racket that is right for you over you choosing a racket based on price or brand familiarity alone. It depends on your playing style, experience, and what you want from the game. Below is a quick guide - but we do have better breakdowns on other pages

If you are a beginner we suggest a lighter racket. Padel rackets are substantially heavier than other racket sport rackets - so it may take time to get used to that. By choosing a lighter racket you will have more manoeuvrability with the racket and are less likely to get injured.

We know there is a lot of information out there, and that can be overwhelming.We're always happy to chat - click the rest chat icon to reach out to us.

What makes a good padel racket?

There is no right answer to this question because it changes from person to person, depending on their level of play. On the whole, a good padel racket should feel easy to play with. That means:

Comfortable in the hand (not too heavy)
Balanced between control and power
Durable enough to survive a few wall smashes and court drops

You’re not looking for the most expensive model—just something that helps you build your game confidently and keeps your elbow happy.

What Shape Padel Racket is Best for Beginners?

Shape matters more than most people think—it changes how the racket behaves.

Round: Best for beginners. Big sweet spot, easier to control, and more forgiving on off-centre shots. However, let it be said that having a round shape racket does not mean you're a beginner. Padel is a lot like chess, where you place the ball is important, lots of pros prioritise control.

Teardrop: Good for all-rounders—some power, some control. A nice step up as you improve.

Diamond: Built for power. Smaller sweet spot and not ideal for beginners.

We’ve gone deeper into this over on our blog:

Does the shape of your padel racket make a difference?

What’s the Best Material for a Padel Racket?

Most beginner rackets use a mix of fibreglass and soft EVA foam—and that’s a good thing.

Fibreglass is more flexible and budget-friendly. It can provide what's called a trampoline effect - where the ball can fly off the racket on impact. This is great as you don't need to put as much effort into your shot to get that ball moving - However due to the flexibility of the material - it also means it is not that resistant to damage. So while as a beginner, a fiberglass padel racket is great, while you are getting to grips with the walls and groundstrokes from those low bouncing balls - you may find yourself having to change out your racket sooner than you would like.

Carbon fiber is often hailed the ‘best’ material for padel rackets, it's stiffer and lighter, but more expensive and less forgiving. Carbon fiber is pretty cool because it can be layered in different ways to make the surface of the racket softer or stiffer - the higher the carbon of a racket (like you may hear 25k carbon) the softer the racket. For people who need more power in their game we might recommend a lower carbon as the racket is stiffer, needing less effort from the player to put power behind the ball. However, if you have an injury, you may wish to go for a higher carbon as it will absorb more vibration from the ball.

As a beginner, soft materials make the racket more comfortable and absorb more vibration, which helps avoid things like tennis elbow. Once you’ve got your technique down, you might want to upgrade to something with more pop—but there’s no rush.

What to Look for in a Beginner Padel Racket?

If you're just starting out, have never played racket sports before or just don't feel comfortable with a padel racket, we would recommend the following:

Weight: 340g–360g is ideal for control and manoeuvrability.
Shape: Stick with the round.
Balance: Even or low balance helps with control and reduces arm strain.

Need a hand picking one? Just drop us a message—we’ve tested every racket we sell and are always happy to help you find the right fit.

See our beginner racket recommendations