Padel vs Tennis — Key Differences and Which One to Try First

If you play tennis and someone just mentioned padel to you, the first question is usually: “Isn’t that just tennis with walls?” Short answer: sort of. But the walls change more than you’d expect.

This guide breaks down the key differences — court, rules, equipment, physical demands — and ends with a straight answer to the most practical question: which should you try first?

→ What is padel? A quick introduction

The court: smaller, enclosed, with glass everywhere

The most obvious difference is the court size.

The walls aren’t just a boundary — they’re part of the game. After the ball bounces once on the floor, it can hit the side or back walls and stay in play. You can play it before or after it hits the wall. What sounds strange at first quickly turns short, “lost” exchanges into long, entertaining rallies.

Padel is almost always played as doubles — four players on the court. The social element is baked in from the start, which is part of why it’s growing so fast.

Scoring and rules: nearly identical, with a few quirks

Good news for tennis players: the scoring system is the same. 15–30–40, deuce, games, sets — everything as you know it. A match is typically best of three sets.

The differences are in the details:

Serve: In padel, you serve underhand. The ball is dropped to the side and struck below hip height — no overhead serve. This makes the serve a relatively weak weapon; aces are rare, and the serve mainly gets the point started. For most tennis players, this is the biggest mental adjustment.

Wall play after bounce: After the ball bounces on your side of the court, it can hit the walls. You can play it before or after the wall contact. This opens up tactical situations that simply don’t exist in tennis.

Net play: Much more of padel is played at the net than in baseline tennis. The doubles format pushes you forward — sitting back at the rear wall is mostly a defensive position.

Back wall play: You can hit the ball off your own back wall to return it into the opponent’s court. It sounds complex but makes sense after ten minutes on court.

→ Padel rules — explained simply

Equipment: different racket, similar shoes

Racket

This is the biggest material difference. A tennis racket is strung, roughly 68 cm long, and weighs 270–310 g. A padel racket is shorter (~45 cm), solid, made from composite materials — and has no strings. The hitting surface is perforated, the core typically EVA foam.

The feel is completely different: no string bed response, more control in short exchanges, less leverage for power shots. Padel rewards precision over power — something most beginners pick up on quickly.

You don’t need your own racket to start. Most venues in Austria rent rackets for around €3–5. Once you’re playing regularly, it’s worth getting your own.

→ Best padel rackets for beginners

You can also browse current options on Amazon.de.

Shoes

Tennis shoes work on a padel court — at least to start. The lateral support helps, and the sole type is similar. For regular play, padel-specific shoes (or indoor tennis shoes) are worth it, since the artificial grass surface has slightly different grip characteristics than hard courts.

Running shoes are a bad idea: not enough lateral support, too much rolling resistance when changing direction quickly.

→ What shoes do you actually need for padel?

Ball

Padel balls look almost identical to tennis balls but are pressurised lower — they bounce slower and lower. On a smaller court, that makes sense. Tennis balls work in a pinch but feel noticeably different.

Physical demands: less endurance, more reflexes

Tennis is more demanding on aerobic endurance: long sprints, explosive serves, extended baseline rallies. A proper tennis set is more cardio-intensive than a padel match of the same duration.

Padel is intense in short bursts: quick net exchanges, lateral movement in a tight space, reactive responses to wall balls. A 90-minute session at a moderate level is tiring — but differently.

This makes padel more accessible for beginners: even without being particularly fit, you can have enjoyable rallies from the start. The time-to-first-fun is shorter than in tennis.

One more factor: the overhead serve in tennis puts significant stress on the shoulder. Padel’s underhand serve is much gentler — relevant for anyone dealing with a tennis shoulder.

Padel or tennis first?

Here’s my honest take:

If you already play tennis: Just try padel. You need no preparation. Rent a racket, book a court with friends — after 20 minutes you’ll have the basics. Your tennis background helps with timing and reading ball trajectories. The walls feel weird at first; after an hour, you’ll be using them deliberately.

If you’re brand new to racket sports: Padel is currently the more accessible entry point. Quicker success moments, always doubles — the social format keeps motivation high. Tennis has a steeper learning curve; the serve alone can take weeks to feel natural.

If you want to play both: Very realistic. A lot of tennis players play padel in winter because it’s quicker to book, mostly indoors, and a shorter time commitment. The sports complement each other: tennis builds endurance and baseline feel, padel sharpens reaction time and net play.

Padel isn’t a replacement for tennis — and it isn’t a dumbed-down version either. It’s its own sport, with its own tactics and culture, and it’s growing fast across Austria. Worth trying at least once.

Ready to find a court? → Padel courts in Austria New to padel? → 10 padel tips for beginners What gear do you actually need? → Padel equipment checklist

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Last updated: 2026-03