New to Padel? Here's what you need to know

Padel is BOOMING 💣 and I'm sure your local tennis club is getting some courts installed some time in the near future, if that haven't already. 

The Origins

The origins of padel are sometimes disputed, some people think it originated as a pastime for passengers on cruise liners in the 1920s. However, we know this is rubbish.

The true origin of padel, was in Latin America. Enrique Corcuera, a Mexican businessman built the first Padel court at his holiday home in Acapulco in 1969 – but the sport has evolved from previously played sports.

It wasn't until Enrique's friend Prince Alfonso Hohenlohe-Langenburg tried this new invention at Enrique's home and instantly felt in love. Immediately after, he decided to create the first two Padel courts at the famous Marbella Club in 1974.

Alfonso included few modifications from Enrique's original designs to make it more competitive, being this the first of many iterations Padel will have in the following 20 years in Spain.

 

In the meantime in 1975, Julio Menditeguy an Argentinian member of Alfonso's circle in Marbella felt the same passion and decided to import the sport to Argentina.

Since the first courts in Spain, Padel took nearly 25 years to be extended all over the Spanish geography. Finally in the early 2000s there were more than 500 Padel clubs and many Spanish hotels already included as sport activity Padel Courts.

In 2005 Padel was already well-established in Spain with more than 1000 Clubs. It is when the most important Padel Associations decided together to establish an International Championship played fully in Spain. This was the beginning of Padel Pro Tour, which lasted until 2012.

So, how do you play?

Padel is a racket sport that can best be described as a cross between tennis and squash. It is a fast-paced, social sport that is easy to learn and suitable for all ages. The great advantage of padel (and probably why the sport has become so popular) is that it is suitable for all ages and levels, since it is not dependent on strength and serving competency. Padel is more about strategy and cooperation between you and your partner, rather than power.

Padel is usually played in doubles. Just like tennis, padel is played on a pitch that is divided by a net, the difference being that in padel, the player also uses the walls, as in squash. A regular padel pitch is 10 x 20 m and is surrounded by walls. On this type of pitch, games are always played in doubles. Padel can also be played in singles on a narrower pitch (6 x 20 m). 

 

A partner, two padel rackets and a ball

Padel is a simple sport that doesn't require multiple accessories. In principle, it requires a partner, two rackets and a ball. A padel racket is made of a composite material and the playing surface is covered in small holes. As a result, the strokes are less powerful and dynamic. Padel rackets come in three different shapes: round, drop-shaped and diamond-shaped. Since it offers the best control, the round padel racket is considered to be the most suitable for the majority of players, from beginner to competition level. The round racket is usually referred to as the control racket. The ball used to play padel is similar to a tennis ball, only slightly softer.

Padel rules

To a large extent, the rules of padel are the same as in tennis with the scoring being the same (15, 30, 40 game). However in padel, you serve by bouncing the ball on the ground and below hip height followed by an underarm serve. In addition, special rules apply with regards to the walls. A padel match is most often the best of three or five sets, with a set being the first side to win six games. In padel, you score points if

• the ball bounces on the ground twice on the opponent's side
• the opponent hits the ball into the net
• the opponent hits the ball outside the play area, i.e. outside of the cage or against one of your walls
• the opponent hits the ball into their own grid
• an opponent is hit by the ball.

Padel Rackets Explained

Considering all the characteristics of the padel racket, players seem to be most focused on the shape. The original thought that the diamond shape has a higher balance and smaller sweet spot, then the teardrop a middle balance and medium sweet spot, then the round padel racket with the lowest balance and biggest sweet spot.

 

Round Face

Round shaped padel rackets will have the sweet spot in the middle of them. 

This means in order to get the most effective shot, we need to hit the ball right in the centre of the racket.

Round padel rackets also have low balance, this means that the weight distribution is going to be even across the racket, so no side is going to be heavier than the other.

This gives us information that round rackets are good for the following:

• Control
• Beginners/Intermediate Players