What Is Padel? The Complete Beginner's Guide

Key takeaway: Padel is a racket sport played in doubles on an enclosed court about a third the size of a tennis court, using solid rackets and a slightly depressurised tennis ball. The walls are part of the game – like squash, you can play the ball off them – which makes rallies longer, more tactical and far more forgiving for beginners than tennis.

So what exactly is padel?

Padel (pronounced PA-del, and called padel tennis by some) was invented in Mexico in 1969 and exploded first across Spain and Latin America. It's now the fastest-growing racket sport in the world – and the UK has caught the bug, with new courts opening every month at tennis clubs, leisure centres and dedicated padel venues.

The court is 20m x 10m, enclosed by glass and mesh walls. You serve underarm, the ball can bounce off the back and side walls, and scoring works exactly like tennis (15, 30, 40, game). Almost everyone plays doubles.

Why padel is so easy to start

Three things make padel the most beginner-friendly racket sport out there:

The serve is underarm. No double faults, no years learning a technical overhead serve. You're into a rally from the first point you ever play.

The walls keep the ball alive. A ball you'd never reach in tennis comes back off the glass in padel. Rallies are longer, which means more fun, more exercise and faster improvement.

The court is small and you have a partner. Less ground to cover, less running, more time to think. Complete beginners have proper rallies in their first session – that almost never happens in tennis.

Padel vs tennis vs pickleball

Padel sits somewhere between tennis and squash: tennis scoring and net play, squash-style wall play. Pickleball, by contrast, is played on an even smaller court with no walls, a plastic perforated ball and its own scoring system. If you're weighing them up, read our full comparisons: padel vs tennis and padel vs pickleball.

What equipment do you need?

This is the best part – you need very little:

A padel racket. Solid (no strings), perforated with holes, made from fibreglass or carbon fibre with a foam core. Beginner-friendly rackets are round-shaped and balanced towards the hand; advanced rackets shift weight towards the head for power. Our guide on how to choose a padel racket walks you through it.

Padel balls. They look like tennis balls but have slightly less pressure, so they sit lower off the walls. See padel balls vs tennis balls.

Court shoes and kit you can move in. Clay-court or padel-specific shoes grip best on the artificial turf surface.

How do you win a point in padel?

Mostly the same ways as tennis: the ball bounces twice on your opponents' side, they hit it into the net, or they hit it out. The twist is the walls – after the ball bounces on the court, it can rebound off the glass and stay in play. Learning to let the ball come off the back wall (instead of panicking) is the classic first padel skill. Once you've got that, dive into our guides on padel rules and scoring, how to serve and using the walls.

How much does it cost to play in the UK?

Court hire typically runs £24–£40 per hour depending on the venue and time – split four ways, that's as little as £6 each. Most venues rent rackets for a few pounds, so you can try before you buy. When you're ready for your own, a quality carbon racket costs far less than most people expect.

FAQ

Is padel easier than tennis?

For beginners, yes. The underarm serve, smaller court, doubles format and walls that keep the ball in play mean you'll have real rallies in your first hour.

Can you play padel as singles?

Dedicated singles courts exist but are rare. Padel is designed as a doubles game and virtually all UK courts are doubles courts.

Is padel good exercise?

Very – expect 400–700 calories an hour with constant short sprints and lunges. We've covered it in detail in is padel good exercise?

What's the difference between padel and paddle tennis?

They're different sports. Padel is the enclosed-court game described here; paddle (platform) tennis is a North American winter sport played on a heated raised court.

Gear up with AIXO

Ready to try it? AIXO padel rackets bring colour-clash style at every level:

• AIXO Sundae – 3K carbon all-rounder with ice-cream looks
• AIXO Pastel De Mint – super-light full carbon for speed and control
• AIXO Insane Bolt – 18K carbon power for players who play loud
• AIXO Fizzball Junior – the perfect first racket for kids

Or browse the full AIXO padel racket collection.