Padel vs tennis: the differences explained

Padel uses tennis scoring and grew up in tennis clubs, so people assume it's a smaller version of tennis. It isn't really. The walls change the tactics completely, the underarm serve removes the biggest barrier to beginners, and the game is almost always played in doubles. Plenty of tennis players switch or play both. Here's how they compare.

Side by side

	Padel	Tennis
Court	20 × 10 m, enclosed by glass and mesh	23.77 × 10.97 m (doubles), open
Net height at centre	0.88 m	0.914 m
Players	Almost always doubles	Singles or doubles
Racket	Solid, perforated, no strings, max 45.5 cm long	Strung, longer and lighter
Ball	Similar look, lower pressure	Standard tennis ball
Serve	Underarm, after a bounce, at or below waist height	Overarm, usually
Walls	In play after the ball bounces on your side	Not used
Scoring	Tennis scoring, often with golden point at deuce	Tennis scoring, with advantage

Padel figures are from the FIP Rules of Padel.

Which is easier to learn?

Padel, for most people. The underarm serve means there are no double-fault marathons, the smaller court means less running between shots, and the walls keep the ball in play when you'd have lost the point in tennis. Beginners typically have proper rallies in their first hour. Tennis takes much longer to reach that point: the overarm serve alone is a technical skill that takes years to get right.

That doesn't make padel simple. At a good level it's a tactical game of positioning, patience and reading the ball off the glass, and good tennis players are often humbled at first because the instinct to hit hard works against them.

How the game feels different

• Power vs placement. In tennis, a big shot wins points. In padel, a big shot often comes straight back off the glass. Points are won by working the other pair out of position and finishing at the net.
• The lob. Lobbing is a defensive shot in tennis. In padel it's the most important shot in the game, used constantly to take the net.
• Social. Because it's doubles on a small court, padel is more talkative and sociable. Mixed-ability games work better than in tennis.
• Physical load. Padel involves short, sharp bursts rather than long sprints. It's tiring in a different way, with lots of lunges and low positions. Tennis singles is more aerobic.
• Technique crossover. Volleys and footwork transfer well from tennis. Big swinging groundstrokes and the topspin forehand don't; the short padel racket and the glass reward a compact swing.

Injuries differ a little too. Padel's low positions and quick lateral steps put more load on calves, knees and ankles, and newcomers who play every day in their first excited fortnight often end up with sore calves or a tight Achilles. Tennis players with a bad shoulder sometimes find padel easier, because there's no overarm serve, although the overhead smash still asks a lot of it. Whichever you play, proper court shoes and a warm-up make more difference than anything else.

Cost and access in the UK

Tennis courts are everywhere, including free public courts in parks, and club membership often includes court time. Padel courts are fewer but growing quickly, and most are pay-to-play: you book a court and split the cost four ways. In Greater Manchester, padel courts averaged about £36 an hour in mid-2026, or roughly £9 each for four players (The Padel Paper). See how much padel costs for more detail.

Equipment costs are similar. A decent beginner padel racket costs about the same as a decent beginner tennis racket, and padel rackets don't need restringing, which saves a regular tennis player a fair amount over a season. Padel balls lose their bounce fairly quickly, so most groups open a new tube every session or two.

The bigger practical difference is organisation. Tennis singles needs only one other person. Padel needs four, which is easy if you have a regular group and harder if you don't. Booking apps and club socials have made it much simpler to find a game at your level, and many venues run beginner sessions where you're paired with other new players.

Many tennis clubs now have padel courts too, so you may not have to choose. If you've never tried padel, book a court, hire rackets and see for yourself. Find padel courts near you, or browse UK padel venues by town and region. Curious about the other new racket sport? Read padel vs pickleball.