The Rise of Padel Tennis: How It’s Played and Why It’s Taking Over the Courts
24th Sep 25
With so many popular sports to choose from, it can be hard to know what makes one better than the other. Take padel tennis, for example, what makes it better or different from regular tennis, or other racket sports for that matter? And is it popular because it’s a current trend, or is it really something that could benefit you?
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Why is Padel Tennis so Popular?
There are several reasons why padel tennis has gained popularity in recent years. It’s more accessible than other sports, and easy to learn, as well as being a great way to be more social with people you know or to meet new people and it’s a fun alternative to things like tennis or squash. Not to mention it’s a fantastic workout.
Accessible and Easy to Learn
One of the main benefits of padel tennis is that it’s easy to learn, requiring less power and strength, which makes it more accessible to a broader audience than standard tennis and other racket sports. These factors make it easier for almost anyone to pick up a padel and give it a try, whether you’re playing with friends, trying it as a family, or competing on a more professional level.
Simple rules also add more enjoyment to the sport for beginners, as you’re not getting tied down trying to figure out how to play. If you want to check out how to play, we’ve got the rules here.
In a more general sense, padel tennis is more accessible due to the smaller court sizes. Padel courts are roughly a third of the size of a tennis court, making them more space-efficient and therefore easier to build and install in more areas. This provides more people with access to padel courts than other racket sports, including individual players, as well as clubs and teams of all ages. Couple this with its ease of play, and you’ve got a no-brainer for a fun and easy way to work out.
A Social and Fun Alternative
Racket sports in general are inherently social, but padel tennis is even more so. It’s typically played in doubles, meaning there’s almost always four people on a court at a time, fostering teamwork and interaction between players. Being a social sport means that it can help you build relationships with others while still having fun. It’s a great way to get out and meet new people if you have no one to play with, by joining a group or class with other people who enjoy the sport and exercise.
A Good Workout
In addition to all these great benefits, padel tennis is also an excellent workout. Like most sports, it gets the heart pumping and improves your cardiovascular fitness when played regularly. Padel will improve your agility and coordination, especially when playing in doubles, as you learn to track the ball as well as your teammate to make sure you’re both playing effectively.
It’s also a great mental workout as you use a combination of strategy and skill as a team to aim to win the game, creating an exciting, fun and dynamic game for everyone, regardless of your fitness level.
How to Play Padel Tennis
Padel tennis is a sport that combines elements of both Tennis and Squash, typically played in doubles on smaller courts. As we’ve mentioned, it’s an easy sport to pick up, so we’ve made sure to list what you need to get started and how to play so you can hit the ground running.
Location
The courts used for padel tennis are usually about 25% smaller than a standard tennis court, and should be surrounded by glass and metal fences, much like squash walls. The net divides the court into two sides, for two players on each side. If you need to find a padel tennis court near you, the LTA Padel website can help you.
Equipment
When it comes to equipment, you don’t need much, but you do need to make sure it’s the correct equipment. Padel rackets and balls are different to those used for squash and tennis, so make sure you’re prepared for the courts wth our padel tennis range.
Padel Rackets are solid rackets with perforated holes and no strings. Because padel is played with walls, as opposed to just the net, the ball can be unpredictable when it returns to you. Rackets have been designed this way so that you have more control over the racket, and they should be more durable than if you used a racket with a string. The holes in the racket help air pass through, making it easier to swing and providing a better grip on the ball for improved control. The shorter handle also provides better manoeuvrability.
Some rackets are different shapes for different skill levels:
- Round Rackets → Big surface area, best for beginners (control-focused).
- Teardrop → Mix of power and control, good for intermediate players.
- Diamond → Smaller surface area but maximum power, favoured by advanced players.
Padel tennis balls are very similar to tennis balls; however, they have around 10% less pressure in them. This makes them bounce less and move more slowly on the smaller court and rackets. With walls being part of the game, the ball needs to bounce predictably, and the lower pressure helps to achieve this.
Rules
As we’ve mentioned, padel tennis is so popular because it’s so easy to play. The rules are straightforward and easy to understand, allowing you to get straight to playing and enjoying your match.
- Scoring: This is similar to tennis; the scores count up in 15, 30, 40, deuce, etc. Best of 3 or 5 sets wins.
- Serving:
- Underhand serve, hit diagonally into the opponent’s service box.
- The ball must bounce once before being hit.
- The serve must be below waist height.
- During Play:
- The ball must bounce once before returning (volleying is allowed too).
- The walls around the court can be used—the ball can bounce off glass only after hitting the ground.
- The ball must not hit the walls directly without bouncing first (that’s out).
- Winning a Point:
- If the ball bounces twice.
- If it hits the wall or fence before bouncing.
- If it goes outside the court limits.
And there you have it, the quick and easy way to play a match of padel tennis. With the rules being so simple, it’s quick and easy to learn, and you’ll be playing effectively after just a few games. Remember you’re part of a team, take note of how they play, each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and you’ll be an unstoppable team in no time.
Before beginning any exercise or nutrition program, consult your physician, doctor or other professional. This is especially important for individuals over the age of 35 or persons with pre-existing health problems. Exercise.co.uk assumes no responsibility for personal injury or property damage sustained using our advice.
If you experience dizziness, nausea, chest pain, or any other abnormal symptoms, stop the workout at once and consult a physician or doctor immediately.
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