The first time I ever saw padel being played there was no doubting the similarity to tennis based on how the court and ball looked. At the same time, I could not deny that there were distinct differences that set these two sports apart.
Tennis differs from padel in terms of racket, ball, service, court dimensions, court surface, and even net height. The most notable of these differences are the glass walls that surround the padel court and how the style of play has adapted to cope with the ball bouncing off the walls.
When it comes to the sport of padel and how it was invented it is impossible to overlook the multitude of similarities that it has with tennis. However, all you need to do is step onto the court and you will become acutely aware of the differences. Let’s take a look at those differences in greater detail.
The Deceiving First Impression When Comparing Tennis To Padel
There are many that think because both sports are played on a court, with rackets and involve hitting a ball over a net, it means that they are one and the same. This is simply not true, they are sports that are played in totally different ways.
The two sports differ as regards court dimensions, their respective rackets, playing technique, the height of the net, and even the ball bounces differently.
Both Padel And Tennis Players Can Adapt To The Other Sport Quite Easily
In practice, there are many tennis players who also play padel and there are padel players who play tennis.
Whether you are a tennis player or a padel player there is nothing to stop you from giving the other sport a try.
The key overlay in terms of playing the two sports is that both requite eye, ball, and racket coordination. This makes player adaptability possible in spite of the differences.
Differences: Padel vs Tennis Racket
This is perhaps the most obvious difference between the two sports.
Whereas tennis uses a stringed racket with a longer handle, in padel we use a short-handled racket that has a foam core and a fiberglass/carbon fiber outer shell.
Each racket is really unique for their respective game. The paddle racket is incompatible with the game of tennis and in the same way the tennis racket is just about impossible to use when playing padel.
These differences have been created to meet the specific needs of each game. The tennis racket has strings to allow the player to play shots with the power needed to easily clear the net, even when standing well behind the baseline.
In padel, the enclosed confines of the court make all that extra power superfluous. It is way more important to have control over the shots you play.
The Differences Between Padel And Tennis With Regards To The Service
This fundamental difference between the two games is one that you notice very quickly as you start to play.
In padel tennis, the service is done by bouncing the ball, and then hitting it while it is still lower than hip height.
The service in tennis is a more complex skill to learn. The ball is thrown high and must be hit in the air before it falls to the ground.
It took me ages to learn the tennis service correctly to a proficiency level that allowed me to get to enjoy a game of tennis. Losing just about every single point on my service by way of a double fault was more than a little frustrating.
The service in tennis is considered a very important shot that needs to be mastered, while in padel it can be considered more of a means to transition into the rest of the point.
The Number Of Players On Court In Padel vs Tennis
Most of the time tennis is played as singles. While it is true that you do get doubles tennis, it is more the exception than the norm in my experience.
By comparison, padel has been designed from the start as a doubles game. There are a small handful of specially built padel courts for singles play, mainly in France, but they are far from commonplace. Official padel tournaments from junior level all the way up to the World Padel Tour are all played as doubles.
Comparing The Courts Used For Padel And Tennis
When it comes to the physical court area, a padel court is approximately a third smaller than a tennis court. In tennis, it is common to play from outside the boundary lines. The 4 walls of a padel court not only prevent this but also makes the effective playing area a lot smaller.
The four walls that surround a padel court give a different dimension to how the ball moves on the court meaning that players need to develop a spatial sense that is more akin to squash than it is to padel.
When it comes to physical dimansions, a padel court for doubles measures 20 meters long by 10 meters wide. The singles court for tennis is 23.77m long by 8.23m wide.
These differences in court dimensions are covered in greater detail in the article What Are The Dimensions Of A Padel Court.
Padel Balls Are Different Even If They Look Like Tennis Balls
Most padel balls are produced in the same factories as tennis balls. Some even use the same rubber mold in the production process. With so many similarities in the production process, you could be forgiven for thinking that tennis balls are the same as padel balls.
It is not until you bounce a padel ball that you will be able to notice the difference. The pressure, to which padel balls are inflated, is different.
Therefore, a padel ball has less bounce than a tennis ball. This causes the ball to slow down when it rebounds off the walls.
The differences between padel balls and tennis balls are covered in greater depth in the article that I wrote called, What Is The Difference Between A Padel Ball VS Tennis Ball?
Comparing Tennis And Padel In Terms Of Fast Reflexes And Physical Power
Another of the key differences between the two games is the physicality of how they are played. In tennis physical power is essential to move along the length and width of the court while playing powerful shots. In padel, it is more about fast movements, changes of direction, and good reflexes.
Both games require a certain degree of physical fitness. In tennis that fitness tends to be more power-based while in padel it is more about endurance for the much longer rallies.
Even The Net Height Is Different in Padel And Tennis
I must admit that with my limited skill level I did not notice a difference in the net height from my tennis days.
As per the rules of the two games, a tennis net must be 0.914 meters high at the center while in padel it must be 0.88 meters high at the center. That is a difference of slightly more than an inch.
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