FAQs
General padel tennis FAQs:
What's the difference between tennis and padel tennis?
Padel tennis is typically played in doubles on an enclosed court which is roughly 33% smaller than the size of a tennis court. Whilst having a middle net and the same court markings, the main differences are that the court has walls along the back and side and the balls can be played off them (rather than being out in tennis) in a similar way to squash. A padel tennis ball looks similar in feel and appearance to a standard tennis ball but has a lower internal pressure, meaning it is slightly smaller in diameter and a little less ‘bouncy’. The rackets used for padel tennis are solid, stringless bats as opposed to tennis, which uses stringed rackets.
Is padel easier than tennis?
Yes! If you are a novice at tennis and padel tennis, padel will be easier to play. The court is smaller (approx 25%), there are sides around the court, allowing play to continue and it is usually played as doubles.
Can you play padel with tennis balls?
A padel tennis ball looks similar in feel and appearance to a standard tennis ball but has a lower internal pressure, meaning it is slightly smaller in diameter and a little less ‘bouncy’. For this reason, you should use padel tennis balls, not standard tennis balls.
What are the rules of padel?
Padel takes the same principle of scoring and rules of tennis. You score a point if the ball bounces on the ground twice on the opponent's side, your opponent hits the ball into the net, your opponent hits the ball outside the play area before it bounces (i.e. outside of the cage or against one of your walls), your opponent hits the ball into their own grid or your opponent is hit by the ball.
Unlike tennis, in padel tennis you bounce the ball on the ground and hit underarm below hip height. The full rules can be found here: https://www.padelfip.com/rules/
Why is padel tennis so popular?
It is fun, easy to pick up, welcomes all ages and abilities and, unlike standard tennis, is far more forgiving due to the sides around the court, resulting in longer rallies and even more enjoyment! The LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) are supporting Padel Tennis growth in the UK, so more and more padel tennis courts are being installed and available to use in the UK.
Is padel scoring exactly like tennis?
Padel Tennis scoring is exactly the same as scoring in tennis. Points go up as follows: 15, 30, 40 and game. If there is a 40 - 40 tie it is called ‘deuce’ and the winner is the first player to lead by two clear points. A one point lead at deuce is called an ‘advantage’.
To win a set, a pairing should win six games with two clear games. If the score gets to 6-6, a tiebreak is played in which the winner is the first side to get to seven points with two clear points. If the game continues to be tied at 7 points, then the tiebreak continues until the first side to have a two point lead is declared the winner.
Games of Padel are played as the best of three or five sets. The first pair to win two/three sets is declared the winner (the number of sets should be agreed beforehand).
Can you play padel 1 vs 1?
Padel courts are 20m long x 10m wide for doubles. There are single padel courts sized 20m long x 6m wide but these are rare to see. In theory, you can play singles on a doubles court, however it is not recommended or commonplace. Standard padel tennis courts are designed for doubles and covering half your side each player, allowing for good length rallies and not requiring overstretching of players. Unlike standard tennis, which allows for inner lines to be used, a padel tennis court cannot be adjusted as this would require bringing the walls in closer, leaving the same surface area as a doubles court.
Can you hit the fence in padel?
Yes, but only if the ball crosses the net and bounces on the ground on the opponent’s side before hitting the fence (usually a glass or wire wall). If the ball is returned over the net and then hits your opponent’s fence/wall before hitting the ground the point is lost. As a player you can hit the fence at any time without losing the point!
Can the ball bounce twice in padel?
If the ball bounces twice on one side the point is lost.
Can you move while serving in a padel?
When serving the player must hit the ball at or below waist level and at the time of hitting the ball the player must have at least one foot on the ground. When serving the player may not walk, run or jump.
Who serves in padel?
One player serves until a game is won. Then the serve rotates to the opposite doubles pair and continues to rotate each game until all four players have served. The serve then returns to the original server. The only exception to this rule is during a tie break, when the first player takes one serve before rotating and then each player takes two serves before rotating. Padel tennis serving follows the same point rules as standard doubles tennis.
How long does a game of padel take?
A competitive padel match is usually played as best of three sets. Paddle matches last similar lengths of times to standard tennis and very much depends on the length of rallies and the number of games played in each set. A set can last from 15 to 20 minutes up to an hour.
What padel racket should I get?
You should purchase a specific padel tennis racket, not a standard tennis racket. These are solid, stringless bats as opposed to tennis, which uses stringed rackets.
How popular is Padel tennis in the UK?
According to the LTA, as of November 2020 there are around 6,000 active padel players across Britain. There are currently 114 padel courts at 59 clubs. All of these figures have grown significantly in 2021 and are expected to continue to grow substantially over the coming years as further investment into Padel Tennis from both the LTA and clubs continues.
Padel construction / court specific:
How much space do you need for a padel court?
A padel court internal size is 20m long x 10m wide. It is enclosed above ground with a combination of glass and weld mesh rebound wall and fence panels supported of steel posts fixed to a concrete foundation with a synthetic turf play surface.
How long does it take to build a padel court?
Two experienced installers will take around 3 - 4 days to build a Padel Court. A larger team (4 to 6) of inexperienced padel court installers will take 5 to 7 days. There will be preparation required before the build starts in order to achieve these timescales. We offer a full survey, supply and installation service at Corrie Padel that will explain the entire process and timescales.
What is a padel court made of?
A padel court is made from a combination of 12mm toughened glass and weld mesh rebound wall and fence panels supported of steel posts (grade 355), which are hot dipped galvanised. These are fixed to a concrete foundation with a synthetic turf play surface.
What is the cost of padel court?
The cost of a padel court is in the region of £23,000 with the overall price rising to approximately £50,000 with groundworks, installation and lights. Prices vary considerably and there are economies of scale when multiple courts are installed together. At Corrie Padel we offer a one-stop shop from site survey, British manufactured materials to the highest standard and installation. Call us on 01730 237100 to speak with our expert team for advice.
How many padel courts are there in the UK?
The LTA says there are 114 padel courts in the UK as of November 2020, however that number is increasing significantly and there will be an estimated 400 padel courts by the end of 2023.
Why is there sand on a padel court?
Sand is put on the carpet to weigh the carpet down.