Introduction to Padel

Padel is a racquet-based sport often described as an innovative mixture of tennis and squash. It is typically played by four people in a doubles format within a court enclosed by glass wall panels.

Padel was created in Mexico in 1969 and quickly gained popularity throughout the country. It has become one of the fastest-growing sports around the world and is now established in several Australian cities. Padel is a social sport that is easy to pick up, fast-paced, and good for fitness.

Equipment and Gameplay

Players use a Padel racquet, similar to a tennis racquet but smaller and heavier. The head of the racquet is thick foam with holes across the hitting surface, and the balls are similar to tennis balls—just slightly smaller and less pressurised. This means the rebound off the Padel court wall is slower, giving players time to return the ball.

Padel is scored using the same rules as tennis – comprising of players winning points, games and sets and matches, decided by the best of three sets. Unlike tennis, to serve in Padel, the ball is dropped on the ground and hit below waist height. The ball must land in the diagonal service box across the net, and must bounce once before the receiver can return the ball. The lines are only used for serving - during points the ball may land anywhere on the court. The ball may also hit the walls around the court – similar to Squash, as long as it has bounced on the floor first – balls that hit the wall directly are considered “out”. Similarly, the ball must bounce on the ground once after hitting the wall before a player can return it. Uniquely, players can run off the court to return the ball – as long as it stays in play as per the above rules.

Watch this fun video to see some amazing Padel action!

Padel Court Specifications

Padel courts can be built indoors or outdoors. A Padel court is defined as an area 20m long x 10m wide with a synthetic turf playing surface. The court is enclosed with a combination of a transparent or solid material (glass, rendered blockwork) and fence panels supported by steel posts or reinforced aluminium boxes fixed to a concrete foundation.

Get Involved with Padel

Excited about Padel? So are we! The team at SPORTENG have designed some Padel courts here in Australia, and we’ve established the Padel Facility Technical Specifications for Tennis Australia. The shape and size of a Padel court make it a little more flexible than a larger tennis court and can easily be incorporated into an existing sporting facility or considered for new sporting projects. With an estimated 25 million players across the world, Padel is a rapidly growing sport, and we expect uptake here in Australia to take off over the next 2-3 years.

Why not talk to us today about how you can incorporate a Padel court into your next project? For more information on Padel, visit our dedicated sports page here.