Padel is clearly influenced by tennis. This is evident not only in its history, but also in the game itself.
If you watch a padel match, it quickly becomes clear that it's almost like a tennis court. The difference is that padel isn't played on a traditional court, but in an enclosed space. Or rather, a glass enclosure.
However, if we take a closer look, there are still significant differences that essentially distinguish the game.
- Court size: A padel court is smaller than a tennis court and has slightly different line markings.
- Enclosed glass walls and fences: A padel court is enclosed by glass walls at the rear and a mesh fence at the sides. The walls play a crucial role in the game and add a whole new dimension to the appeal of the game.
- Racket: A padel racket is similar in shape to a tennis racket, but smaller and unstrung. It's also significantly harder and has a different coating, so the ball reacts and needs to be hit a little differently than in tennis.
- Balls: The balls used in padel have a smaller diameter than tennis balls, although they look the same. However, the differences are hardly noticeable.
- Serve: In padel, the serve is made under the arm and not overhead like in tennis.
- Technique: Padel isn't as power-intensive a game as tennis. However, it's still very fast, which makes the sport so attractive.
- Outfit: The familiar polo shirt isn't a must for padel. Since this sport is more of a lifestyle sport, the style also adapts.
Feel free to visit our shop, where you'll find everything you need to look sporty yet cool on the court.