Never heard of padel? This dynamic racket sport is exploding in France. We first spotlighted it on Startin’ Sport months ago. As seasoned sports experts, here's our authoritative overview of padel’s rules, gear, and appeal.
Padel blends tennis and squash into an exhilarating racket sport similar to tennis. Backed by the International Padel Federation (FIP), it's surging across Europe with new courts and players everywhere.
Check out this video of stunning padel rallies:
The FIP credits Enrique Corcuera with inventing padel in Mexico in 1969. Today, dedicated centers are multiplying, drawing enthusiasts of all levels.
Like tennis, padel pits teams in ball exchanges across a net. Players—server and receiver—stay within their zones initially. Key phases include serving, rallying, and rebounds.
The underarm serve starts below the waist after a bounce, with two attempts. Precision is key from the service box.
Rallies kick off when the ball bounces in the opponent's box and is returned. Volleys are allowed post-serve, except on the initial serve and return.
The ball touches the ground once max per side. Once in play, it can rebound off walls or fences—except your own side's floor.
Scoring mirrors tennis: win sets of 6 games, best of three. Ties go to a 7-point tiebreak with a 2-point margin.
Padel rackets echo beach tennis paddles—solid, stringless designs in round, diamond, or teardrop shapes. Match your style: control for round, power for diamond.
Our infographic breaks down padel racket features:
Top brands include Babolat, Head, and Dunlop. For expert buying advice, visit racket-de-padel.fr.
Courts measure 10m wide by 20m long, enclosed by walls and fences. Sand-filled synthetic turf ensures grip, with 6-8m clearance height.
Service boxes, 5m from side lines, are marked by 5cm lines and a 20cm central line.
From adults to kids, padel's social vibe and simpler rules than tennis fuel its rise. Expect even more growth ahead. For official details, see the Fédération Française de Tennis padel page.
