Padel is a racket sport that cleverly combines elements of tennis and squash. It’s always played as doubles — four players on a smaller court enclosed by glass walls. The walls are part of the game: after the ball bounces off the floor it can rebound off the glass, and opponents can still return it. The result is a sport that’s far more accessible than tennis, but just as tactical — with rallies that go on and on.
Where did padel come from?
Padel was invented in 1969 by Enrique Corcuera in Mexico. He wanted to play tennis on his property but didn’t have room for a full-sized court, so he built a smaller, walled version instead. The sport spread quickly through Spain and Latin America and is now played in over 90 countries.
In Austria, padel arrived around 2019 and has grown sharply since 2022. Linz alone now has four venues.
How does padel work?
The court
A padel court is 20 × 10 metres — roughly a third smaller than a tennis court. It’s fully enclosed by walls (glass and metal mesh) standing 3–4 metres high. The game is always played doubles: 2 vs 2.
The ball and racket
A padel ball looks like a tennis ball but has slightly less pressure, so it bounces a little lower. The racket (pala in Spanish) is solid — no strings — and made from plastic or carbon fibre. It’s shorter than a tennis racket and must be attached to the wrist with a cord.
The serve
The serve is always underarm, similar to squash. The ball is dropped and struck below hip height, served diagonally into the opponent’s service box. You get two attempts, just like in tennis.
Using the walls
After the ball bounces off the floor it can rebound off the glass walls — and the opposing team can still play it. This keeps rallies alive much longer and opens up a whole extra layer of tactics that simply doesn’t exist in tennis.
Scoring
Points are counted exactly like tennis: 15, 30, 40, game. Sets are played to 6 games, with a tiebreak at 6–6. A match is usually the best of three sets.
Why is padel booming?
Padel is growing faster than any other racket sport in the world — for good reason:
- Easy to learn: Most beginners can rally within the first hour. The learning curve is far gentler than tennis.
- Social by design: Padel is always played as doubles. You need three other players, which makes finding a game part of the fun — and builds community fast.
- Physical for everyone: You don’t need to be an athlete. Positioning and teamwork matter more than raw speed or power.
- Short sessions: A padel session typically runs 60–90 minutes. Easy to fit around work and life.
Padel vs. tennis: the key differences
| Padel | Tennis | |
|---|---|---|
| Players | Always doubles (4) | Singles or doubles |
| Court size | 20 × 10 m | 23.77 × 8.23 m (singles) |
| Walls | Yes, part of play | No |
| Serve | Underarm | Overarm |
| Racket | Solid, no strings | Strung |
| Learning curve | Low | Medium to high |
How do I get started?
- Book a court: Most venues hire out rackets and balls — you don’t need to buy anything to begin.
- Find three players: Padel always needs four people. Many venues have community groups or open sessions for players looking for a game.
- Read the rules once: The padel rules are quick to learn — one read is enough for your first session.
- Just play: Padel is best learned on court. No coaching course required.
In Austria there are now venues in all major cities — see our guides for courts in Linz and courts in Vienna.
Last updated: 2026-03