PLAYING PADEL - the basics… Padel is fun and social! It works best when partner pairs communicate. It’s a fast-paced (usually) doubles game (we’ll start off a bit slower!). Padel is played on an outdoor court with with enclosed sides around an all-weather surface. Padel courts are 1/3 the size of a tennis court, but have a bigger service box than in tennis. While tennis courts are open and emphasise power, padel courts encourage strategic, long-lasting rallies where players use the walls to rebound shots. The padel ball is smaller than tennis ball (by about 8%) with lower internal air pressure. These differences cause padel balls to bounce a little lower and travel slightly slower than a tennis ball, allowing for better control and longer rallies within the enclosed boundaries of a padel court. We’ll pick up the padel rules as we go along. For now, padel rules are similar to tennis with a few exceptions. Squash players will be familiar with play off the glass walls at the back and short sides of the court, less so perhaps about net play, or the unique padel rules about the side netting found either side of the middle of the court. Let’s keep it fun and safe. Enjoy the games!!
