Padel and tennis are different sports. Padel is played on a smaller, enclosed court with walls; tennis is on a bigger, open court. Different courts, different serves, different feel.
Quick comparison
Court: Padel uses a 10 × 20 m court surrounded by glass or mesh walls. A full tennis court is 23.77 m long and 8.23 m wide for singles (10.97 m for doubles) with no walls. Net height is slightly lower in padel: about 0.88 m at the centre vs. 0.914 m in tennis.
Why that matters:
– Movement: Padel needs quick side-steps and fast reflexes in a much smaller space.
– Tactics: The walls act like big backboards, so balls that would be out in tennis can bounce back into play.
– Feel: Tennis favours longer runs and heavier groundstrokes; padel rewards anticipation and good use of the walls.
Balls: same size and weight, different pressure
Padel and tennis balls are the same size (6.54–6.86 cm) and similar weight (56–59 g), but padel balls are lower pressure. Typical internal pressure for padel is about 4.6–5.2 kg per 2.54 cm² (roughly 8 psi), while pressurised tennis balls are around 14 psi. In drop-bounce tests from 2.54 m, padel balls rebound about 135–145 cm and tennis balls about 135–147 cm.
On court this means the padel ball “dies” sooner after the bounce, slowing rallies down and making rallies longer on a small court. Tennis balls are livelier, rewarding power and topspin but more likely to sail long.
Rackets vs bats
Tennis racquets are hollow frames with strings. Padel bats are solid, foam-filled paddles with holes—no strings. Typical features:
– Padel bat: ~38 mm thick face, foam core, weighs about 355–375 g; shorter handle for one-hand shots.
– Tennis racquet: graphite/aluminium frame with a string bed, weighs about 260–340 g (unstrung); longer handle suited to two-hand backhands.
Feel and handling: strung racquets “pocket” the ball and snap it forward; padel bats give a flatter pop. Shorter bats are easier to whip in tight spaces. For grips, the same overgrip tape used on tennis works fine on a padel bat. Beginner gear in both sports is similar in price, though high-end models can cost over £200.
Shoes and clothing
Padel is usually on synthetic grass with sand; tennis can be clay, hard court or grass. Soles differ by surface:
– Padel: deep herringbone or hybrid/omni tread to bite into sand-turf and allow some slide.
– Clay tennis: full herringbone to let clay escape.
– Hard tennis: hybrid patterns with tougher rubber for concrete.
Terms: herringbone = V-shaped zig-zag good for sand or clay; omni/dot = lots of small rubber dots for low-sand indoor turf; hybrid = mixed patterns for all-court use; lateral support = stiff side panels that protect the ankle.
Can you swap shoes? Clay-court tennis shoes work well for casual padel. Hard-court tennis shoes may stick too much on sand-turf. If you play padel regularly, buy padel-labelled shoes (herringbone or hybrid sole). Clothing is the same for both: breathable tops and shorts/skirts or leggings—moisture-wicking fabric and pockets help.
Serve and rally
How points start:
– Padel: one under-arm serve, struck below waist after the ball bounces. Softer, easier to return.
– Tennis: up to two over-arm serves, hit in the air. Fast first serves often win the point outright.
What keeps the ball alive:
– Padel: after the first bounce the ball can hit any glass or mesh wall and still be played; rebounds and angles matter.
– Tennis: no walls; once the ball lands outside the lines the point ends.
Format:
– Padel is doubles-only (four players on a smaller court).
– Tennis offers both singles and doubles, though club play often includes many singles matches.
Rally length:
– Padel averages around 9 shots per rally and 12–16 seconds.
– Tennis has a large share of points ending quickly; about 0–4 shots make up ~70% of points, usually under 10 seconds.
Scoring and match rules
– Points: both sports use 0–15–30–40–game.
– Deuce: padel commonly uses a golden point (next point wins the game). Tennis generally requires winning by two clear points (advantage-deuce). In padel, the receiving pair chooses which player returns the golden-point serve.
– Sets: padel is best of 3 sets (first to 6 games, 6-all = 7-point tiebreak). Tennis can be best of 3 (women) or 5 (men’s pro); 6-all goes to a tiebreak (7-point or 10-point in deciding sets depending on the event).
– Match formats: padel = doubles only; tennis = singles or doubles.
Learning curve
Padel is usually easier to pick up: smaller court, under-arm serve, live walls, and doubles play mean newcomers get more rallies and touches. Tennis takes longer to learn but rewards power, spin and a wider range of shots once you invest the practice.
If you’re coming from tennis, shorten your swing for padel, learn to use the back wall and get used to the low under-arm serve. Tennis will push you further in power, spin and fitness because of the bigger court and over-arm serves.
Injuries and fitness
Both sports are good exercise but stress the body differently:
– Elbow & wrist: padel can ache from mistimed hits with a solid bat; tennis commonly causes “tennis elbow.”
– Knees & ankles: padel’s quick side-steps can strain joints; tennis has hard stops and more impact.
– Shoulder & back: padel is low risk because serves are under-arm; tennis places more load on the shoulder and lower back due to over-arm serves and heavy topspin.
Calorie burn (30 minutes, moderate play):
– Padel (doubles): about 240–320 kcal.
– Tennis (singles): about 300–420 kcal.
Stay injury-free: warm up 5 minutes (light jog + arm and hip circles), do core planks and resistance-band pulls, replace shoes every 6–9 months, and rest or ice if something hurts.
Cost and access
Padel courts are newer and often cost more to hire than tennis courts, especially in the UK. Typical 2025 UK and Spain rates:
– UK padel off-peak: £28–£40 per court (~£7 pp in doubles); peak £40–£80 (London private courts can exceed £100).
– UK tennis: many public park courts are free or £0–£12 to book; peak £0–£24.
– Spain padel: €6–€12 off-peak, €12–€20 peak.
Starter kit prices (examples):
– Entry padel bat: Kuikma PR Open ≈ £29.99.
– Entry tennis racquet: Artengo TR160 ≈ £34.99.
– Balls (tube of 3): £6–£8 for both sports.
– A padel bat (no strings) may be replaced every 12–18 months with heavy use; a tennis racquet can last years with occasional re-stringing.
Availability:
– UK padel: ~900 courts at about 300 venues and growing. Big chains like David Lloyd are adding more.
– UK tennis: thousands of public courts, many in parks and often free.
– Spain padel: 22,000+ courts nationwide, which keeps prices low.
Bottom line: gear costs are similar, but padel court fees tend to be higher in the UK until more courts open. Sharing a court, booking off-peak, or joining a club can reduce costs. Tennis wins on sheer availability and cheaper public options.
Which game suits you? Five quick questions
1. Do you have easy access to padel courts nearby?
2. Do you prefer playing doubles and a social vibe?
3. Are you coming back from a shoulder or back injury? (Padel suits this.)
4. Do you enjoy solo practice or one-on-one matches? (Tennis suits this.)
5. Do you want a wider variety of powerful shots? (Tennis suits this.)
Mostly “yes” to the padel questions: start with padel for quicker rallies and less shoulder strain. Mostly “yes” to the tennis questions: choose tennis for singles, more power and more court options. Split answers? Try both—many clubs offer taster sessions.
Final thought
Padel gives quick rallies and social doubles play; tennis offers bigger courts, more power and a wider shot menu. Try them both and see which one makes you smile.
Sources: International Padel Federation (FIP) ball approvals; ITF tennis ball approvals and court standards; manufacturer pages and venue data.