What is Padel? A Complete Beginner's Guide to the Fastest-Growing Racket Sport

Welcome to the exciting world of padel! If you’ve been hearing buzz about this fast-growing racket sport, you’ve come to the right place. Padel is a dynamic, social, and incredibly fun game, blending elements of tennis, squash, and racquetball. It’s easy to learn but offers endless opportunities for mastery. Whether you’re an athlete or new to racket sports, padel offers an accessible entry point. This complete guide will walk you through what padel is, how it’s played, and why you should try it.

What Exactly is Padel?

Padel is a racket sport played in doubles on an enclosed court, roughly one-third the size of a tennis court. Originating in Mexico in the 1960s, its popularity has exploded globally, especially in Spain and Latin America.

Key Differences from Tennis

While often compared to tennis, padel stands out:

• Enclosed Court: Glass walls and mesh fence are integral, allowing players to hit the ball off them, similar to squash.
• Solid Rackets (Palas): Stringless, perforated ‘palas’ are smaller and thicker than tennis rackets, offering easier control.
• Underhand Serve: All serves are underhand, bouncing once behind the service line and hit below waist height. This promotes longer rallies.
• Doubles Play: Almost exclusively played in doubles, emphasizing teamwork and strategy.
• Ball Type: Padel balls are similar to tennis balls but with slightly less pressure, resulting in a slower bounce.

These differences make padel a highly social sport, less reliant on brute strength and more on strategy, finesse, and teamwork.

The Padel Court: Your New Arena

The padel court is central to the sport’s unique play. A standard court measures 10x20 meters, enclosed by glass walls at the back and sides, and completed with a metal mesh fence. These glass walls are key, as the ball can rebound off them during play, adding a dynamic dimension.

A net divides the court, with service lines 6.70 meters from the net on each side, defining the service boxes. A central line further divides these boxes.

Essential Padel Equipment

Getting started requires a few specialized items, though many clubs offer rentals.

The Padel Racket (Pala)

The ‘pala’ is unique: a solid, composite racket (fiberglass, carbon fiber, or mix) with a foam or EVA rubber core. It features a mandatory wrist strap and a perforated surface. Palas vary in shape (round, teardrop, diamond) and weight. Beginners often prefer round-shaped palas for their larger sweet spot and control.

Padel Balls

Similar to tennis balls but with less internal pressure, padel balls offer a slower, lower bounce. This contributes to longer rallies and makes the game more accessible.

Footwear and Apparel

While comfortable athletic wear is fine, specialized padel shoes are highly recommended. They provide excellent grip on artificial turf, crucial for quick lateral movements and preventing slips. Good cushioning and support also help prevent injuries. Any comfortable sportswear allowing full motion is suitable.

Padel Rules for Beginners: Getting Started

Padel rules are straightforward, especially if you know tennis fundamentals.

Scoring System

Padel uses the exact same scoring as tennis:

• Points: 15, 30, 40, Game.
• Deuce: 40-40, next point wins ‘advantage,’ then game. (Some amateur games use ‘golden point’ where the first point after deuce wins).
• Sets: Best of three sets. First to 6 games, leading by two. Tie-break at 6-6.

The Serve: Underhand and Bouncing

The serve is distinctive:

1. Bounce ball behind service line.
2. Hit underhand, below waist height.
3. Land in opponent’s diagonal service box.
4. Served ball can hit opponent’s glass wall after bouncing, but not the mesh fence directly.
5. Two attempts for a valid serve.

Playing with Walls: The Game Changer

This is padel’s unique element. After the ball bounces once on your side, you can let it hit the glass walls before returning it. You cannot let it bounce twice on your side. The ball can hit your walls any number of times after the first bounce, but must be returned over the net before a second bounce on your side.

If the ball hits your own mesh fence before crossing the net, it’s a fault. If it hits the opponent’s wall before bouncing on their court, it’s also a fault.

Double Bounce Rule

Like tennis, the ball can only bounce once on your side. If it bounces twice, you lose the point. The key difference: a ball can hit the glass walls after its first bounce on the ground, and you can still play it as long as it doesn’t bounce a second time.

Mastering Basic Shots

While advanced shots exist, beginners should focus on fundamentals.

Forehand and Backhand

These are your core groundstrokes. Focus on a compact swing, eye on the ball, and consistency over power. The underhand serve and wall play often provide more time to prepare shots.

The Volley

Volleys are crucial. Players aim to control the net. A good volley is hit before the bounce, with a short, firm stroke, directing the ball into open spaces or against walls.

The Bandeja (A Unique Padel Shot)

The ‘bandeja’ (Spanish for ‘tray’) is a signature defensive slice shot. Played when an opponent lobs over your head at the net, you hit the ball with an open-faced racket, keeping it low and deep towards the back wall. This helps maintain your net position and prevents opponents from attacking.

Beginner Padel Strategy & Tactics

Padel is as much about strategy and teamwork as hitting the ball. For beginners, focus on:

Teamwork and Communication

Always communicate with your partner. Call out who takes the ball, especially in the middle, and encourage each other. A united team is strong.

Positioning on Court

Generally, when attacking, both players should be at the net. When defending, both should be at the back. Avoid ‘no man’s land’ (middle court) to defend or attack effectively. Move together as a pair.

Use the Walls to Your Advantage

Embrace the walls! They are your friends. Practice letting the ball come off the back wall, giving you more time and setting up surprising angles.

Why Padel is Perfect for Beginners

Padel’s popularity stems from its accessibility and engaging nature.

Easy to Learn, Hard to Master

The smaller court, underhand serve, and use of walls create longer rallies, allowing beginners to quickly enjoy playing. You don’t need years of training for a good game. Yet, the depth of strategy and shot variety ensures continuous learning and challenge.

Social and Fun

Padel’s doubles format naturally fosters a social atmosphere. It’s common for friends to laugh, strategize, and connect. The quick learning curve means everyone can participate and have fun, regardless of prior experience.

Great Workout

Despite the smaller court, padel offers an excellent full-body workout. Constant movement, lunging, short sprints, and twisting provide fantastic cardio and strength training without feeling like a chore.

Ready to Play? Your First Steps

Inspired to pick up a pala? Here’s how to start:

1. Find a Padel Court: Search online for ‘padel courts near me’ or ask friends.
2. Rent Equipment: Most clubs offer racket and ball rentals.
3. Gather Your Friends: Padel is best with three friends for a doubles match.
4. Consider a Beginner’s Lesson: An introductory lesson can teach basic grip, stance, and serving, providing a solid foundation.

Conclusion

Padel is more than a sport; it’s a phenomenon. Its unique blend of accessibility, strategy, and social interaction makes it ideal for anyone looking to try something new, stay active, and connect. We hope this guide has demystified padel for you and ignited your interest. Grab a pala, find a court, and experience the thrill of padel. You might just discover your new favorite game!

Related reading

• Mastering the Basic Padel Stance: Essential Positioning and Movement for Beginners
• Padel for Beginners: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Playing Padel
• Basic Padel Rules: Your Complete Guide to Mastering the Game