As padel enthusiasts, we are truly spoilt for choice with a fantastic selection of other action-packed racket sports to try! At the top of that list is beach tennis because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love spending time at the beach, right? This brings us to an exciting comparison: beach tennis vs padel.
The differences between beach tennis vs padel come down mainly to the gameplay of each respective sport. They are both very exciting and social sports with roots in tennis – both are also growing in popularity at an incredible rate on a global scale!
Today, we will cover the differences between beach tennis vs padel, how the courts differ, and the rules of these two great sports.
A Short History of Beach Tennis
Beach tennis is a mix of tennis and volleyball. It was born in Italy in the early 1970s when people used the existing beach volleyball nets with their tennis rackets while on holiday in Lido degli Estensi, in the Ferrara town of Comacchio.
The sport was born from a desire to take holiday racket sports to new heights within Italy, and the rest is history. Beach tennis is now common across the globe!
Beach Tennis vs Padel: Basic Similarities
Both games are mostly played in mixed doubles and attract a similar player base – people who enjoy fast-paced and thrilling gameplay.
Because both are easy to pick up for novices but still fast enough to challenge even seasoned players, they attract people of all ages and abilities, making them super accessible sports overall!
Both games can be enjoyed competitively and recreationally, offering tons of fun, great exercise, and dynamic gameplay for friends, family, and teammates.
Beach Tennis vs Padel: Court Differences
Padel Tennis
You can play padel on an indoor or outdoor enclosed court with side and back walls you play off. Indoor courts offer a consistent and focused environment with no wind or sun to distract gameplay whereas outdoor courts are fantastic in summer to enjoy a cool breeze while you get your padel sessions in!
Padel court dimensions are 20m x 10m, offering a playing surface that is about a third of the size of a tennis court.
Beach Tennis
Played on sandy beaches around the world, a beach tennis court is 16m x 8m.
Beach tennis is great for adding a level of physicality to gameplay and the sport perfectly encapsulates that holiday environment – the sound of waves breaking, the gentle breeze, some music and chatter in the air, and dips in the ocean in between matches to cool off.
How the Surfaces Affect Gameplay
Playing on the sand can certainly take some getting used to, but it offers a dynamic difference from any other racket sport. In the beginning, it can be tricky learning how to cover the sandy court, but after a few games, you should learn how to “float” on the sand more and perhaps even build up the courage to dive for a few shots!
Padel tennis court surfaces are designed to perfectly enhance the nature of the gameplay – fast, dynamic, reactive, and loads of fun. Padel surfaces range from turf grass to rubber-bonded resins, made to give the padel balls the ideal bounce!
Beach Tennis vs Padel: Differences in the Equipment
The Rackets
The rackets used in both sports are similar and pretty easy to transition between. Both weigh between 320g and 370g. Padel tennis rackets are slightly shorter but thicker than beach tennis rackets. Padel rackets also have a wrist strap, whereas beach tennis rackets don’t. A beach tennis racket is flatter and longer with a harder striking surface, whereas a padel racket is slightly softer and more perforated to create larger sweet spots for ball hits.
The Balls
A padel ball is similar to a tennis ball only slightly smaller and less pressurised, allowing for the ideal bounce around the court. Beach tennis balls, known as the Penn balls, are similar to padel balls, only even less pressurised to accommodate for the harder hitting gameplay.
The Net
Beach tennis nets are much the same as beach volleyball nets, usually set at a height of 1.7m to 1.8m. The higher net position brings the game closer to the net, making matches incredibly thrilling. Padel tennis nets are much lower, with a length of 10m and a height of 0.88m at the centre; they are designed for the unique gameplay that includes play off the glass perspex walls.
Beach Tennis vs Padel: The Rules and Scoring
Luckily, both work very similarly to tennis. Points are 15, 30, 40, deuce, and game. The goal of each team is to be the first to win the best of three sets. At a 40-40 tie, matches will be decided with a golden point or a deuce.
Gameplay
In padel, the ball can bounce once on the ground and then off of the side and back walls before being returned. In beach tennis, since there’s no rebound off the sand and no borders around the court, the ball cannot bounce; it has to be returned before touching the ground.
For a detailed understanding of padel gameplay, check out our comprehensive guide on how to play padel.
Serving
In beach tennis, given the sand, there is no compulsory bounce prior to the serve.
Overall, serving in beach tennis is the same as traditional tennis, with the main difference being that you can serve to either side on the opponent’s court. Serves are taken with an overhead technique then once in play, volleys become the bread and butter of the game.
In padel tennis, serves must be taken underhand at or below waist level and then directed diagonally across the court into the opponent’s court. According to padel serve rules, you get two attempts, while in beach tennis, you get only one serve.
Beach Tennis vs Padel: Which is Easier?
Both are equally easy to learn yet challenging to master. Beach tennis players should have no problem adapting to padel, and vice versa. With padel, it can take some time to get used to the rebounds off the side and back walls, whereas, with beach tennis, it can be tricky getting used to no rebounds at all.
Wondering how padel compares to other popular racket sports? Check out our padel vs pickleball article for another interesting comparison.
Beach Tennis vs Padel - Great Games for Racket Sports Enthusiasts!
We believe both games are certainly worth trying. They offer fun and challenging gameplay, perfect for staying active and socialising with friends and family.
We hope you better understand the differences between beach tennis vs padel and whichever you choose to play.
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