Padel vs tennis
By the Finding Padel team · Updated 30 October 2026
Padel and tennis share the same scoring and a lot of the same strokes, but padel is played as doubles on a smaller, enclosed court where the ball can come off the walls. Padel rackets are short, solid and stringless, and the serve is hit underarm at or below the waist.
Padel vs tennis at a glance
| Padel | Tennis | |
|---|---|---|
| Court | 20 x 10 m (65.6 x 32.8 ft), enclosed | 23.77 x 10.97 m doubles, 23.77 x 8.23 m singles (78 x 36 ft, 78 x 27 ft), open |
| Walls | Ball can be played off the walls after it bounces | No walls |
| Players | Doubles | Singles or doubles |
| Racket | Solid, perforated, no strings, max 45.5 cm | Strung racket |
| Net height (centre) | 0.88 m | 0.914 m (3 ft) |
| Serve | Underarm, bounced, hit at or below the waist | Usually overhead |
| Scoring | 15, 30, 40, game, sets to six, plus golden point or star point options | 15, 30, 40, game, sets to six |
What carries over from tennis
- Scoring. Identical, apart from the golden point and star point options at 40 all.
- Hand skills. Volleys, lobs and footwork transfer well.
- Reading the game. Doubles instincts help a lot.
What tennis players need to unlearn
- Big swings. Short, compact strokes work better. Hard, flat shots often come back off the glass.
- Hitting the ball early. In padel it is often smarter to let the ball pass you and play it off the back wall.
- The overhead serve. Padel serves are underarm, at or below the waist.
- Smashing every lob. Most overheads in padel are controlled bandejas, played to keep the net, not to end the point.
Tips for tennis players trying padel
- Book a beginner session focused on wall play. It is the one skill tennis does not give you.
- Use a round racket for control.
- Let more balls come off the glass than feels natural.
- Move up and back with your partner as a pair.
- Learn the bandeja early.
Is padel easier than tennis?
For most beginners, yes, at the start. The smaller court, the underarm serve, the short racket and the walls make it easier to keep a rally going. Playing padel well is a different challenge, built on positioning and wall play.
Where to play padel near you
Club details last checked 30 Oct 2026.
Quick answers
Is padel scored the same as tennis?
Yes, with the option of a golden point or star point at 40 all.
Can you play padel on a tennis court?
No. Padel needs its own enclosed 20 x 10 m court with walls.
Can tennis players play padel?
Absolutely. Many padel players come from tennis and adapt quickly once they learn the walls.
Sources
International Padel Federation, Rules of Padel (applies from 1 January 2026); ITF, 2026 Rules of Tennis, Rule 1.
Keep reading
Padel is a doubles racket sport played on an enclosed 20 x 10 metre court where the ball can bounce off the walls. Here is how it works, where it came from and why people love it.
Padel or pickleball? Compare court size, walls, rackets and paddles, balls, serve, scoring and how each one feels to play, so you can choose your next sport.
How to serve in padel: bounce behind the line, hit at or below the waist, land it in the diagonal box. Plus every serve fault, lets, and what happens if the serve hits the glass or fence.