The History of Padel Tennis

Padel tennis originated in Mexico in 1969. Enrique Corcuera took a squash court with walls and mixed it with the rules of tennis to give birth to a new sport.

This hybrid game took quite a while to gain popularity in Spain and later Argentina, then spread to all over Europe, and now it has reached every corner of the globe. Millions around the world play padel tennis today, enjoying its fast and social game.

It became famous due to the fact that it is very easy to learn and is highly accessible to all kinds of players, from the youngest to the eldest and from the amateur to the professional. Being a cross between tennis and squash, padel is much faster and more dynamic than tennis, with much less physical effort needed.

It allows a social atmosphere with its doubles format, making it further appealing to a wide audience. Its compact court size and the game itself, interspersed with a host of unique rules, like the use of walls, further add to the fun dynamic nature of it all.

This is strengthened by strong community support, professional leagues like the World Padel Tour, and global media coverage.

In America, it is referred to mainly as “padel,” but sometimes “padel tennis” is used to avoid confusion. This is because there is also a different racket sport called platform tennis, which is sometimes referred to as “paddle tennis.” Despite this, “padel” is still the most widely recognized and used term.

While padel and padel tennis both refer to the same game, the use of one term over the other varies across regions. Whereas it is known globally as “padel,” in America, it is commonly referred to as “padel tennis” in order to avoid confusion with other platform and racket games that have some similarities.

The distinction is important, for “paddle tennis” is a completely different sport. But even with these naming variations, the game does remain the same—an enclosed-court hybrid of tennis and squash.

Padel originated in Mexico in 1969 when Enrique Corcuera decided to adapt his house squash court by putting up walls and adding a net to it, giving birth to another sport. He was looking for a game that could easily be played among friends and family.

From Mexico, padel was quickly introduced to Spain and Argentina, where it turned out to be hugely popular. These two countries have become the most influential promoters of this sport to the rest of the world, contributing fundamentally to its development into what it is at the moment, as visible from its international presence today.

Padel became famous as an activity because of the simplicity of access and the social character it carries. In contrast to traditional tennis, padel is much easier to learn, with shorter rackets, a smaller court, fewer physical requirements, and the fact that any player may enjoy it regardless of age or level. T

It also spread very quickly because of its proliferation in Spain and Argentina, where this sport became hugely popular. Fast growth was also influenced by the support coming from professional leagues like the World Padel Tour and exposure through international tournaments.

Though padel and pickleball are games that involve the use of rackets, they differ in most of their rules, equipment used, and court design. Padel is a game played on an enclosed court about one-third the size of a tennis court and with walls that players can make use of. It is usually played as doubles and the scoring system is much like tennis.

On the other hand, pickleball is played on a small open court, somewhat like a badminton court, with a paddle and a perforated plastic ball. It requires quick reflexes and volleying at the net. Its scoring system and other rules are different; thus, it is a separate game in its own right.

The most evident differences between tennis and padel tennis are related to the court, equipment, and style of play. Padel is played on a reduced enclosed court with walls, where players use solid rackets without any strings. The ball actually bounces off against the walls, giving it that extra special strategic component.

Tennis is normally played on a larger and open court, needing shots with more power and the ability to cover more ground. Since it is a smaller court and a game of strategy over raw power, that makes padel accessible to all ages and levels of fitness.

A fun, social, and accessible sport, the popularity of Padel has surged lately. Of course, popular professional leagues like the World Padel Tour made it widely known.

At the same time, it is also very easy to learn for a beginner, yet full of depth and strategy for the experienced player. In most cases, this should make the game very much liked by all ranges—from casual players to pros.

The sport has also grown because of its geographic expansion, wherein more and more clubs and courts open up around the world. Indeed, it is one of the world’s fastest-growing sports, with such huge coverage by media and social networks diffusing the appeal of the sport to bigger sections.

Padel and pickleball are two very different sports with marked peculiarities. Padel is played on a small closed court with surrounding walls that players may use according to their game. It uses solid rackets and a ball similar to a tennis ball, though slightly less pressurized. Padel is essentially played in doubles, and the matches are long with a scoring system similar to tennis.

Pickleball is played on an open court, without walls, with a paddle and a light plastic ball that has holes in it. It’s a fast game: crossbreed tennis, badminton, and ping-pong played either in doubles or singles with a rather unique scoring system.

In the US, it is mostly referred to as “padel,” even though sometimes the term used is “padel tennis” to avoid confusion with another racket game called platform tennis. However, the fact remains that even when some people call it by different names, it is still the same sport, growing in popularity around the nation.

The reasons for Padel’s present-day popularity are quite easy to explain: it comes simply from the social aspect, its ease of play, and backing from professional leagues such as the World Padel Tour. It is easy to learn, fun to play and provides activity with a great balance of socializing—all of which combined will appeal to people at large.

Moreover, the geographical expansion of the game with increased mediation, celebrity, and athletic endorsement has exponentially exploded the sport all over the world.

Yes, padel is easier to play compared to tennis. These features of the smaller court, shorter rackets, and walls keeping the ball in play make padel less physically demanding and more forgiving toward the beginner. It is also a doubles game that allows less running and more emphasis on strategy and teamwork for each player.

The learning curve for Padel is, therefore, less steep and makes it an ideal sport to be played by people of all ages and different levels of fitness looking to enjoy a racket sport without the high intensities of playing tennis.

Both of these racket games differ from each other due to their court size, equipment, and playing style. The court of Padel is smaller, closed, and walled; it is an integral part of the game. Padel rackets are solid, without any strapping; the ball might be played off the walls, which adds yet another strategic dimension.

In contrast, tennis is played on a large and open court and focuses on powerful plays by way of stringed rackets, speed, and large court covering. As far as the gameplay is concerned, there is more emphasis on hitting winners and covering ground in tennis, while strategy and placement are the main concerns in Padel.

Padel first saw the light of day in Mexico in 1969. Then, squash player Enrique Corcuera decided to set up a court in his house with walls and a net, seeking to come up with a game that could be easy to play yet amusing for everybody, regardless of age. It then swept into Spain and Argentina, where it turned into a huge success and went on to evolve into the global phenomenon it is now.

You will need, at the very least, a padel racket and balls and access to a padel court. The racket is solid, without strings, and smaller than a tennis racket. Padel balls are similar to tennis balls but slightly less pressurized.

You will also need comfortable clothing and shoes to provide a good grip since quick movements and turns form the crux of the game. Many clubs and courts have equipment rentals to help you get a taste of the sport without a great initial investment.

Padel is played in doubles over an enclosed court, which is roughly a third of the size of a tennis court. Scoring in the game is like that of tennis. It has to be served underhand, and a bounce on the floor is necessary before it reaches the opponent’s side. The ball may bounce off the walls surrounding the court, which is a special feature of the game.

It allows the ball to have long rallies only after bouncing on the floor, and each bounce needs to be on the ground before hitting the walls. A ball hitting the net or bouncing twice before the return results in a lost point. Such rules form padel as an extremely strategic sport, very appealing for all categories of players.

Padel is normally played in doubles on an enclosed court with walls. The playing field measures about one-third of the size of a tennis court, and the walls are pretty integral to the game. Next are the rules that follow for Padel:

• Service: The ball is served underhand and must be returned diagonally across the court into the opponent’s service box. The ball must bounce in the service box before being returned. If the ball hits the net and falls into the correct service box, it is a let, and the serve is retaken.
  
  
• Scoring: The scoring for the game is the same as in tennis, with games, sets, and matches. A game is formed from points scored as 15, 30, 40, and game. A set is won by the first pair to take six games, with at least a two-game lead. Matches are usually the best of three sets.
  
  
• The Ball in Play: Following the serve, the ball, as in squash, can be played off all walls but only after it has first bounced past the server on the floor. In addition, players may return the ball without a bounce, similar to tennis. The ball shall not bounce twice on the floor before a return is made.
  
  
• Walls and Out of Bounds: A ball is considered in play if it strikes the side or the back wall of an opponent’s court after it bounces. Nevertheless, if the ball hitting the ground bounces twice before returning or if it hits the wall before hitting the floor, then the point is lost.
  
  
• Faults: A point is lost if the ball has hit the net when it is out or when a player hits an illegal shot. An example of an illegal shot is when a player hits the ball prior to crossing over the net. The double fault while serving at the padel nets loses the point.

These rules make Padel a dynamic, strategic sport, incorporating the elements from both tennis and squash. It enforces long rallies and team play.

Service in Padel is a very key part of the game and has certain rules that differ from tennis. Here’s how the service goes in Padel:

• Underhand Serve: Unlike in tennis, the serve should be done underhand. The server shall let the ball bounce on the ground and then hit it. It should strike at or below waist level.
  
  
• Service Boxes: The server must stand behind the service line, within the boundaries of the service box. The ball should then be served diagonally into the opposite service box, on the opponent’s side of the court.
  
  
• First Bounce: The ball must bounce inside the opponent’s service box; they will then return it. If the ball lands outside the service box or hits the net without landing in the right box, then that is a fault.
  
  
• Let Serves: If the ball hits the net on the serve but still falls into the correct service box, then it is a “let,” and the server gets to retake the serve.
  
  
• Second Serve: If the first serve is a fault, the server has a second chance to serve. A double fault loses the point.
  
  

Service Change: In doubles, after each game, the serve rotates among the four players. This rotation of serves takes place so that no team or player has the advantage of service over another throughout the match.