What is padel, and why is everyone playing it?
Padel is a racket sport played in doubles on a small court enclosed by glass walls and mesh, where the ball can be played off the walls after it bounces. It was invented in 1969 in Acapulco, Mexico, and uses tennis scoring with an underarm serve. People love it because beginners can have proper rallies in their first hour, and because four players and a court is, by design, a social occasion.
If you have noticed glass boxes appearing at tennis clubs, sports centres and on hotel rooftops, and heard friends talking about "the bandeja" over dinner, this is the page for you. Padel looks like tennis that has gone on holiday to a squash court, and that is not a bad description.
Where it came from
According to the International Padel Federation (FIP), padel was invented in 1969 at Las Brisas, in a house owned by Enrique Corcuera in Acapulco, Mexico. The first court measured 20 by 10 metres, with 3-metre walls and a tennis net across the middle. The FIP credits Corcuera's wife, Viviana, with drafting the first set of rules.
The FIP's history says the game reached Spain in the early 1970s, brought by Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe, and from there was carried to Argentina. The International Padel Federation itself was founded on 12 July 1991 in Madrid by the padel associations of Argentina, Spain and Uruguay.
The basics of the rules
Here is the essential version, based on the rules explained by LTA Padel, the Lawn Tennis Association's padel site:
- Always doubles. Padel is played only as doubles, two against two.
- Underarm serve. You bounce the ball and serve underarm, diagonally into the opposite service box.
- Bounce first, then the walls. The ball must go over the net and bounce in your opponents' court before touching their wall or mesh. If it hits the back glass after that one bounce, the point is still live, and the other side can play it off the wall.
- Tennis scoring. Points go 15, 30, 40, with deuce and advantage, sets to six games, and matches commonly played as best of three sets.
There are no strings: LTA Padel describes the racket as perforated with a pattern of holes, and the ball as a pressurised rubber ball. Many clubs hire rackets, so you can usually arrive with little more than trainers.
Why it's so easy to start
Padel has a famously gentle learning curve, and a few reasons stand out:
- The court is small. There is less ground to cover and you are never far from the ball.
- The walls give you second chances. A ball that would have flown past you in tennis comes back off the glass, and you get another go.
- The serve is underarm. No one stands at the baseline double-faulting for twenty minutes.
- The racket is short. It feels easy to control, and most beginners find they connect with the ball far sooner than they did with a tennis racket.
The result is that complete newcomers can enjoy proper rallies, with laughter, in their first session. The skill ceiling, all those angles off the glass, is very real, but the floor is pleasantly low.
Why everyone's playing it
Beyond being easy to start, padel is social by design. You need four people, so every booking is a little gathering. The court is compact, so you are close enough to talk, tease and congratulate. Mixed levels work surprisingly well in doubles, especially if you rotate partners. And a match fits neatly into an hour or so, followed, ideally, by a drink in the sun.
It also suits a lot of people coming from other sports. Former tennis and squash players recognise half of it immediately, and people who never played a racket sport find it far less intimidating than tennis.
FAQ
Do I need lessons to start?
Not necessarily. Many clubs run beginner sessions or open "social" games that group players by level. A single lesson does help with the walls, though, which are the least intuitive part for newcomers and the most fun once they click.
What do I need to bring?
Comfortable sports clothes and trainers with a decent grip. Clubs usually hire rackets and sell balls. Ask whether they recommend particular court shoes, since surfaces vary.
Is padel the same as pickleball?
No. According to LTA Padel, pickleball is played on an open court with no walls, using a light plastic ball with holes in it, and can be played as singles or doubles, whereas padel is traditionally doubles only and uses the walls. They often get mentioned in the same breath because both are easy to start and very sociable.
Can I play if I have never played a racket sport?
Yes. Padel is one of the friendliest racket sports to try first. Book a beginners' session or find three friends of a similar level, and expect to be laughing within ten minutes.
Sources
Written by the Zestasy editors. General information for curious adults, not medical, nutrition or training advice.