Padel vs Tennis

Definition

While padel and tennis share racket-sport foundations, significant differences distinguish them. Padel courts are smaller (20x10m vs tennis 23x11m), enclosed with walls (enabling unique play), and use pressure balls. Padel serves are underhand only, while tennis allows overhand serves. Padel requires doubles play, whereas tennis accommodates singles and doubles. The scoring system is identical, but rally pace and strategy differ. Tennis emphasizes power and court coverage, while padel emphasizes angles, touch, and wall play. Many tennis players transition to padel successfully due to shared fundamentals, though skill adaptation is required.