Padel questions, answered

Padel is a racket sport played in doubles on an enclosed court of 20 by 10 metres, smaller than a tennis court. It mixes tennis and squash: you play over a net, but the ball can also come back off the glass walls behind and beside you. It's fast, social and easy to pick up, which is why it's one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.

Yes. “Padel tennis” is just another name for padel, used a lot in the UK, Ireland and Germany. Same court, same rackets, same rules.

Book a court at a club near you, rent rackets at the desk and bring three friends, or join a social game or beginner lesson if you don't have a group. Tap Padel near me to find the closest clubs, or look for the Lessons pages in your town, for example padel lessons in London or in Madrid.

For most people it's easier to start. The court is smaller, the serve is underhand, and the walls keep the ball in play, so beginners get long rallies within the first hour. Getting really good takes years, just like any sport.

Say it like “PAH-dell”, with the stress on the first part. It comes from the Spanish word pádel. It's not “paddle”.

Padel was invented in 1969 in Acapulco, Mexico, by Enrique Corcuera, who built a court with walls at his home. It came to Spain in the 1970s via Marbella, and from there it spread to Argentina, the rest of Europe and now the whole world.

You play two against two, with tennis scoring (15, 30, 40, game). Serve underhand, diagonally, after letting the ball bounce once behind the service line. The ball must bounce in the opponents' half before it may touch their walls. After it bounces, players can let it come back off the glass before hitting it, and you may also hit the ball against your own walls to send it over.

Yes. Two players can rally or train together on a normal court, and some clubs have narrower singles courts made for one against one. The official game, though, is doubles.

A padel court is 20 metres long and 10 metres wide, with a net in the middle and walls of glass and metal mesh all around. That's a lot smaller than a tennis court, so you need less space and less running.

They look almost the same, but they're not. Padel balls have a little less pressure, so they bounce slightly lower and suit the smaller court. You can play with tennis balls in a pinch, but the game feels different.

No. Pickleball uses a light plastic ball with holes and a smaller court without walls. Padel uses a pressurised ball like a tennis ball and an enclosed court with glass walls that are part of the game. Both are great, but they're different sports. The same goes for paddle tennis and platform tennis.

Padel rackets are solid, with small holes and no strings. Beginners usually do best with a round racket, which gives more control and a bigger sweet spot. Diamond-shaped rackets give more power but are harder to handle. Most clubs rent rackets, so you can try a few before you buy.

Tap Padel near me on our home page to see the closest clubs with the distance and whether they're open right now. You can also search your town or pick a country on the world map.

Most clubs open from the morning until late in the evening, and evenings are the busiest time. Every club page shows today's and tomorrow's hours in the club's own time zone, with a live Open now badge, and town pages have an Open now filter.

Yes, and more every year, especially in the Middle East and southern Europe. Each country has a page with venues that are open 24/7 or open very early, for example in Spain, Italy, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Perfect when jet lag keeps you awake.

Not really on outdoor courts: the turf and glass get slippery and the ball goes dead. Luckily many clubs have covered or indoor courts. Look for the Indoor courts pages in your town, for example indoor padel in London.

Most clubs take bookings online, through apps such as Playtomic or Padel Mates, or on their own website. Every club page shows the booking button when the club has one; otherwise call the number listed there.

No. Many clubs rent rackets and sell balls at the desk, which is handy when you're travelling. If you want to be sure, check the club's website or call ahead.