What is padel?

Padel is a racket sport which originates from Mexico and is currently massive in many European countries such as, Spain, Portugal & Italy. It is played in a doubles format and you are in a small court surrounded by glass and a cage. Padel has been in the UK since 2011, but it's not really kicked off till the last few years, with Bristol and London leading the way with their world class padel facilities. Now in 2025 it is quickly becoming the UK's fastest growing sport. 

Why is it so popular?

The main reason it is increasing in popularity is that it is easy to play and get into! Yes of course you need to get to grips with the rules etc, but it is such an accessible sport that anyone can play! It is much easier than tennis to get into, and mostly because of the serve. The serve is one of the first things you'll have to do in a game and if you've played tennis before, you'll know that the serve is very hard to master, especially at the beginning. In padel, you are much closer to your target area for the serve and it is underarm, which makes it much easier to get the ball over and in. This means many more points and games will be played, which definitely increases the enjoyment as you get to hit more balls! For me personally, there is a lot of anxiety over the serve in tennis, but padel takes that anxiety away with a much more forgiving serve that it instantly makes padel feel easier to get into and gives you that same feeling of success when your serve goes in. 

It is designed to be played as doubles (4 players on court) this gives it the massive social element, where you can have a laugh with family and friends. Padel also gives you the chance to meet new people and be in an environment to get to know them and to make new friends. 

What makes it different to tennis?

1. The racket, bat, padel whatever you want to call it! The racket you use is much shorter than a tennis racket and is made from foam and a type of plastic coating over the top, with holes rather than strings! No need to replace strings all the time!
2. The balls, they look like tennis balls but padel balls are slightly smaller, have less pressure inside them and usually only come in tubes of 3!
3. The court is smaller and you are surrounded by panels of glass and a cage! It looks daunting at first but I promise you, you'll get used to it and learn to love playing shots off the glass and cage in no time!
4. Competitively, padel is only played in a doubles format, there are no singles! 
5. Much easier to get into as a beginner. In my view, this makes it more enjoyable and sociable as it's easier to play!
6. Longer rallies! Because you have the glass and the cage round the side, even though the ball may go behind, round or over you, you can use these to get the ball back over to the other side. Unlike tennis, where as soon as the ball goes behind you, that's probably the point done. In padel that is not the case, you can play the ball off the glass and cage, which gives you that extra chance to get the ball back in play and once you start doing that, you're well on your way to becoming a pro!