If you’re curious about the differences between pickleball and padel, you’re not alone in wondering which sport might be the perfect fit for you!Â
Both racket sports are considered two of the fastest-growing sports globally and while they do share some similarities, both sports are derived from different influences and have different rulesets and gameplay mechanics. Â
In the UK, padel continues to grow rapidly, with over 350 courts at the end of 2024, and plans to increase this to 1,000 by the end of 2025, alongside around 90,000 players. Pickleball is huge in the USA; here in the UK, there are approximately 270 venues and around 7,000 players so far.
Lately, I have found that existing tennis clubs are favouring padel courts over pickleball courts, but where there is a brand-new dedicated padel club, they are also adding pickleball and ping pong as additional options for all racket sports. These often come with a sociable bar and events to create a sense of community.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain the differences between padel tennis and pickleball, covering the unique rules and social and physical elements that make up each great game.
Padel vs Pickleball: A Comparative History
Pickleball has a very wholesome history!Â
Parents made it up for their bored kids and used the myriad of sporting equipment they had at their disposal to create this unique game. Pickleball has rapidly spread across the US, initially attracting older people due to its accessibility on small courts, but is now played by people of all ages.Â
The average age of a pickleball player is now 38.1 years, down from 51 years in 2016, indicating a younger demographic.
In fact, in the USA, pickleball has far higher popularity than padel right now. This may be due to the adoption of padel being brought to Europe by Spain.
Introduction and Origins
Pickleball and padel are two of the fastest-growing racket sports in the world, each with a fascinating origin story.
Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, when Joel Pritchard and his friends improvised a new game using elements from tennis, ping pong, and badminton. They used a perforated plastic ball and solid paddles, creating a sport that was easy to learn and fun for all ages.
Meanwhile, padel was born in 1969 when Enrique Corcuera in Mexico designed a unique enclosed court with glass walls, adapting the game to fit his available space. Padel is played with a depressurised tennis ball, which keeps the ball bouncing lower and rallies more controlled within the enclosed court.
Both sports have evolved from their humble beginnings to become beloved activities in the world of racket sports, each offering a fresh twist on traditional tennis.
Early Development
In their early years, both pickleball and padel were shaped by creativity and necessity. Pickleball started with handmade paddles and a simple set of rules, quickly becoming a favourite pastime among families and neighbours. As interest grew, dedicated pickleball courts began to appear, allowing more people to enjoy the game.
Padel, on the other hand, was inspired by paddle tennis and initially played on courts similar to paddle tennis courts. The sport soon caught the attention of the Spanish elite, who embraced padel and helped it spread throughout Spain.
The early development of both sports was marked by a strong sense of community and innovation, laying the groundwork for their future as major players in the world of tennis and other racket sports.
Growth and Popularity
Today, both pickleball and padel have exploded in popularity, becoming household names in the world of racquet sports.
Pickleball is now commonly played across the United States and Canada, with over 36 million players enjoying the game on thousands of pickleball courts. In the US, California has the most places to play pickleball, with Florida and Texas following.
Its appeal lies in its easy-to-learn rules, smaller court dimensions, and the social atmosphere that makes playing pickleball a favourite activity for people of all ages.
Padel, meanwhile, has become a sensation in Spain and across Europe, with more than 25 million players worldwide. The sport’s use of an enclosed court with glass walls, along with its dynamic rallies and accessible gameplay, has made it a staple in clubs and community centres.
The rapid growth of both sports is a testament to their inclusive nature and the fun, social experience they offer to everyone who picks up a paddle or racket.
About Padel Tennis
Padel was accidentally created by Enrique Corcuera in 1969 when he built a smaller tennis court due to a lack of space and added walls to prevent the ball from bouncing away.
Since then, Padel has truly gone global, first gaining widespread appeal in Spanish-speaking countries before captivating the masses in the UK and Europe!
Padel is widely recognised as the fastest-growing racket sport in the world, with its rapid expansion and popularity setting it apart from other racquet sports. If you’re interested in taking your skills to the next level, consider exploring padel coaching courses designed to help players and aspiring coaches improve their game.
Padel is an exciting mix of tennis and squash, typically played in doubles on an enclosed court.
If you’re wondering why padel has gained such popularity, check out our article on why padel is the fastest growing sport in the UK.
Similarities Between Padel and Pickleball
The two sports, padel and pickleball, have low nets that divide the courts with four player boxes and serving lines, also known as baselines.
Pickleball and padel were designed to be enjoyed in both a single and doubles format, with the latter being the most popular.
Similarly, both use a diagonal underhand serve to start the games.
Both have extremely fun and social aspects that can be enjoyed by players of all ages and abilities, with lively communities to help support and develop future talents and hobbyists alike. Whichever you choose, both sports are excellent choices for anyone looking to be more active and social with friends and family.
What Are the Differences Between Padel vs Pickleball?
When considering pickleball vs padel, both sports have evolved from distinct influences that have resulted in differences in their courts, equipment, rules of play, scoring system and more.
Understanding these differences can help you determine which sport is best suited to your interests and abilities.
Padel vs Pickleball Court Dimensions and Features
A padel court is slightly larger than a pickleball court (padel tennis courts are 20m x 10m) whereas pickleball uses smaller courts that are only 13.41m x 6.09) and is enclosed by glass walls and a mesh cage, similar to a squash court. The court layout of padel features a fully enclosed playing area, with walls and fencing that are integral to gameplay. Walls surrounding the enclosed court can be used to play the ball off of, creating unique rallies and angles. This is when things get really exciting!
Pickleball courts are open, similar to traditional tennis courts, with play occurring only within the designated playing fields. These courts are the same size as a doubles badminton court. Both singles and doubles pickleball matches are played on the same court, emphasising the uniformity of the playing area.
A major difference is that pickleball courts have a unique no-volley zone, known as the kitchen, which is the full width of the court and extends on either side of the net. We’ll cover the specific rules around the kitchen shortly.
Pickleball focuses on a more traditional tennis approach, with volleys playing a key role as well, similar to badminton. The playing area for both sports is defined by their court boundaries and dimensions, which impact the style and pace of the game.
Padel vs Pickleball Equipment
Starting with the rackets, the padel racket is short and thick, with the face perforated with holes that allow for excellent sweet spots. Padel rackets come in three shapes – round, diamond, and teardrop.
They are usually made from carbon fibre or fibreglass and have a strap at the bottom of the handle for secure attachment to your wrist during gameplay.
Pickleball paddles have a longer, flatter face with a more solid rectangular head. The pickleball paddle is a solid paddle, typically made from various plastics, graphite, carbon fibre, fibreglass, and even wood. No strap is required for pickleball paddles.
A padel ball is similar to tennis balls only a more depressurised tennis ball, ensuring it doesn’t bounce too high, allowing for more controlled gameplay in the enclosed padel court.
A pickleball is similar to a wiffle ball and is a lightweight, perforated plastic ball with between 26 and 40 holes, so that it also doesn’t bounce too high, making it ideal for the smaller court and controlled rallies.
Differences Between Padel vs Pickleball Rules and Gameplay
Pickleball
The rules of pickleball combine elements from tennis, badminton, and ping-pong.
To start, you serve underhand diagonally across the court and over the net. Players must first return and allow the ball to bounce once on either side of the court; this is known as the double-bounce rule. Only then can volleys start.
Doubles pickleball is the most common format, played with two players per side, but singles is also popular. In singles play, only the serving player can score points, and serves can’t bounce in the kitchen.
Once in play, the ball can’t bounce twice on the same side of the court before being returned, otherwise a point is conceded, so be sure to return the ball after one bounce!
The unique no-volley zone, also known as the kitchen or non-volley zone, is a 7-foot area on either side of the net. If you have any part of your body in the kitchen, no volleys can be hit until you leave the designated area.
This allows for exciting gameplay as teams will usually fulfil the double bounce rule and then quickly attack the edges of the kitchen to start thrilling rallies to gain the advantage!
Padel Tennis
Padel boasts dynamic gameplay, thanks to its exciting blend of tennis and squash.Â
Serves are also underhand, targeted diagonally across the padel court into the opponent’s field of play. However, the inclusion of the walls is what makes padel so special!Â
Once the ball is in play, shots can be returned off the side and back walls of the padel court or played into the walls for unique, hard-to-counter angles. This allows for fast-paced and thrilling gameplay as teams compete for the advantage or a unique shot.Â
Padel shots need to be returned before bouncing twice within your field of play.
To get a deeper understanding of padel’s gameplay, refer to our comprehensive guide on padel tennis rules.
Padel vs Pickleball Scoring
Padel uses the same scoring system as tennis, and both sports generally follow similar rules, with some notable variations, such as court size and serve requirements. Matches are played in three sets of 6 games, with the winners of two consecutive sets being declared overall winners.
The padel scoring system follows the traditional tennis scoring system of 15, 30, 40, and Game. In the event of a tie at 40-40, a deuce is called, and the teams will then need to win by two clear points. Alternatively, a golden point can be used where the winner of the next point wins the match.
Pickleball scoring is the same as badminton and is scored as the first to 11 points, but this must also be by a clear two-point advantage. The scoring system in pickleball is similar to that used in table tennis, where players must win by a margin of two points. Scores are announced at the start of every serve and consist of three numbers (6-3-2 as an example).
- The serving team’s score is always first
- The receiving team’s score is second
- Lastly, either 1 or 2 will be used to indicate which player on the team is serving
Padel vs Pickleball - Which Is Easier to Learn?
As a new player, both sports have relatively forgiving learning curves and rule sets. It’s hard to say which sport is easier to learn, as this will depend largely on you, your fitness level and your experience with racket-based sports overall. If you have played tennis before, you may find it easier to pick up padel or pickleball, as there are similarities in rules and gameplay that can help you adapt more quickly.
As padel courts are bigger and the gameplay pace is faster, there is more ground to cover playing padel. The rallies also tend to be longer due to shots being played off the ground, back, and side walls, so keeping the ball in play does require more physical exertion overall.
Pickleball does tend to require less physical effort, but it can still be demanding for newbies. Because there are no walls to contain the ball, more running can be involved if you miss the ball.
Overall, both sports require some level of fitness. Pickleball tends to have a slower pace that is suited to players who want more gentle gameplay and start gradually building their confidence.
All of us here at Padel Tennis Guide naturally love padel but can see the attraction to pickleball and encourage everyone to give both a go and see what suits you best!
Padel vs Pickleball - Availability of Courts in the UK
According to the LTA, both padel and pickleball have a healthy number of courts sprinkled across the UK.Â
There are currently over 350 padel courts and about 270 pickleball venues with more being built all the time so keep checking for what’s coming up in your area and stay in the loop!
Find padel courts near you using our Padel Near Me guide.
Padel vs Pickleball - The Social Elements
Outside of the games, both sports have lively and fast-growing communities of like-minded enthusiasts eager to participate in various social events and competitions.Â
Today, padel tennis and pickleball are enjoyed by players of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels.Â
Corporate funding into both padel and pickleball is also slowly increasing throughout the UK, with more pop-up courts and community-driven park projects being sanctioned every year, allowing these great games to reach more players and communities.
Networking Groups on LinkedIn are also using Padel events to network with Industry colleagues outside of work, so it is certainly becoming a new alternative to golf.
The Future of Pickleball and Padel Tennis
As the popularity of pickleball and padel continues to grow, it’s exciting to think about their future. Both sports are expected to continue expanding globally, with new courts and facilities being built to meet the increasing demand.
The development of new equipment and technology is also expected to enhance the playing experience and attract new players.
Additionally, the growth of professional tournaments and leagues will help to increase the sport’s visibility and appeal to a wider audience. Whether you’re a fan of pickleball or padel, one thing is certain – the future of these sports is bright, and they will continue to provide hours of entertainment and exercise for players around the world.
With the rise of community centres and dedicated courts, playing pickleball or padel has never been easier, and the opportunity to start playing pickleball or play padel is just around the corner.
Padel vs Pickleball - Great Games for Racket Sports Enthusiasts!
There are fantastic communities involved in both sports with excellent courts spread out across the UK, so we hope you feel inspired to pick up a paddle or racket and get active!Â
While there are similarities between padel and pickleball, we hope that understanding what makes each sport so fun and unique will help you find your preferred sporting activity to enjoy with friends and family.
And maybe it isn’t a question of Padel vs Pickleball, who says you can’t play both?
Padel vs Pickleball FAQs
Is pickleball or padel tennis better for fitness?
Padel tennis likely burns more calories than pickleball due to its higher gameplay intensity, larger court size, and longer rallies, which result from the ball bouncing off the walls.
What is the main difference between padel vs pickleball?
The main difference is the court. A padel court is enclosed with walls, you can play off like squash, whereas pickleball has the kitchen, which is the no-volley zone.Â
What are the health benefits of playing pickleball and padel?
Both sports offer a great low-impact cardiovascular workout. Potential benefits can include improved fitness, flexibility, mental health, and cognitive skills. Muscle fibres and joints are also stimulated during matches, which can help to reduce pain and inflammation for some people.Â
- How to Choose a Padel Racket - November 20, 2024
- Padel Court Dimensions | Understanding the Benefits for Players - November 14, 2024
- Padel Clubs UK | A Guide to the Best Padel Courts and Clubs in the UK - October 30, 2024
