Padel is a racquet sport whose popularity is growing. It is a combination of tennis and squash – the rules are similar, but the difference is mainly in the racket used to play and the scoring method. Learn about padel rules and how padel equipment differs from classic tennis and squash rackets.
What is padel?
Padel is a sport that combines elements of tennis, squash and football. It can be played at any age, both recreationally and competitively, so it’s not only great fun, but also a great way to spend time with family or friends.
The history of the game of padel dates back to the 1970s in Mexico, and the name was taken from the word “padel”, which means paddle. Over time, the game became popular in South American countries. In Europe, the new sport was first played in Spain and Portugal.
Padel is a game always designed for 4 players. The game requires a dedicated racket. Tennis or squash equipment will not work well for padel, due to the nature of the game.
Although when playing padel the ball can bounce off the walls bordering the court, the rackets are designed for larger balls than in squash.
The game is played on a special 10×20 meter pitch, either indoors or outdoors. The land is fenced up to a height of 4 meters. It differs from a tennis court in that it has side and back walls, making it more like a squash court.
What does the padel equipment look like?
Padel rackets are usually made of carbon fiber or glass. Their standard length is 45 centimeters. Unlike tennis rackets, padel rackets are lighter, weighing just over 300 grams. Because of their construction, it is difficult to hit the ball with a force similar to that of playing tennis. One might think that this makes padel matches less interesting, but this is not true.
The padel racket always ends with a loop, which must be placed on the wrist before starting the game. This minimizes the risk of the racket slipping during the swing and hitting an opponent.
The padel ball, although it looks similar to a tennis ball, has a different design that makes it fly slower. Many people, including beginners, believe that padel can be played with a regular tennis ball, but the pressure difference between the two is significant. Precisely thanks to the special construction of the padel racket and ball , even beginner players can enjoy interesting and exciting matches.
Padel outfit and shoes
The game of padel is played on artificial turf, which is sprinkled with quartz sand for greater gliding. For the first match, it is a good idea to wear comfortable sports shoes , provided they are not football boots. If, after a few training sessions, you decide that this racquet sport is right for you, it is worth deciding to buy special padel shoes .
On the sole, it has what is called a herringbone pattern, which, in addition to maximum grip on the ground, ensures adequate sliding when the ball bounces.
Padel clothing should be functional, but also comfortable and breathable, so as to provide adequate comfort on the court.
Depending on the weather conditions and whether you’re playing outdoors or indoors, you’ll only need shorts/skirt/sports dress (for women) and a short-sleeve top/top or long pants/tights and a t-shirt long sleeve or a hoodie.
A very important part of the padel equipment is represented by the protective glasses , which protect the eyes from accidental hits of the ball.
When choosing padel clothing and shoes, opt for tested manufacturers and high-quality products, made of maximum comfort materials, supported by modern technologies that will improve the quality of the game at any level. On attractivesport, we have collected padel clothing and shoes from renowned brands, such as: Babolat, HEAD, Wilson, Diadora, FILA, HYDROGEN, Joma, Lacoste, Mizuno, VICTOR, Wilson or YONEX .
Padel rules
The game is played on a special 10×20 meter field, indoors or outdoors. The land is fenced up to a height of 4 meters. It differs from a tennis court in that it has side and back walls, making it more like a squash court.
In padel, the serve is always performed from the bottom. The ball bounces behind the service line and is then hit with the racket. The racket must not be raised above the waist line. This distinguishes padel tennis , where the serve can be made both high and low.
In each game, the first serve starts from the right side of the court, and the following serves are made alternately between the players on one side of the court. It is important that the ball is hit during the break, but it cannot be bounced after it touches the court floor, in which case the point is scored by the opposing team. Padel scoring is done as follows – the first point is scored by the team that won the exchange. Each match is played to 2 or 3 sets won. A set is played until 6 points are scored by either side. In the event of a 5:5 tie, the set is won by the team that obtains a two-point advantage in the remainder of the set.
Points are scored when the opponents kick the ball out of the court or kick it out of the opponent’s court. Change of serve is done after every 2 points scored by the serving player. In case of an incorrect service, the playing team loses a point and the opponents gain the right to play. As you can see, most of the rules are taken from the game of tennis. The main thing that changes in padel is the way points are counted. Interestingly, the rules listed above are only basic guidelines, they may vary in detail depending on the tournament or local padel rules.
