History of Padel
Invented in Mexico in 1969, Padel, is a fast-growing racket sport combining elements of tennis and squash. It has rapidly expanded across Spain and Argentina and now the UK. Padel has become a global phenomenon.
How to Play
Padel requires 2 teams of 2 players (doubles) The game begins with an underarm serve, diagonally into the opposite corner on the oppositions side. When the player takes a serve, the ball must bounce once on the floor then hit from below, or at waist height.
The aim is to score more points than the opposing team. Points are won if:
The ball bounces twice
If the ball strikes any player.
Or the ball hits the wall or fixture before going over the net or into the opponent’s half of the court.
Similar to tennis scoring matches are played in 3 sets of 6 games. To win the game, a team must win 2 of the 3 sets. The games points are awarded as follows: 15, 30, 40 and game. If there is a tie on 40-40 then this is called deuce. In some tournaments a golden point is played, meaning the next point takes the game.
The Court
A padel court is 20m by 10m, which is approximately a third of the size of a tennis court. Courts are enclosed by fencing at the sides and toughened glass at the rear, meaning the ball can remain active after hitting the walls. The courts’ compact size makes the game impactful, competitive and exciting whilst also remaining inclusive for people of all abilities.
The Racket and Ball
A padel racket (bat) is typically made of carbon fibre or fiberglass. It has no strings making shots much easier to play for beginners. Using one simple grip for most shots, the padel racket has excellent playability and is easy for all players to pick up from the start. A padel ball is similar to a tennis ball but slightly smaller and with less pressure meaning the bounce can keep the ball going for longer rallies.
The Players
Padel is similar to a hybrid of tennis and squash that is flexible, easy to play and extremely sociable due to being predominantly a doubles sport. Padel does not focus on strength but rather tactics, so it is appropriate for all abilities to participate. Whether a beginner or a seasoned player everybody instantly finds padel to be an enjoyable and addictive sport.