The popularity of racket and paddle sports is growing because they provide players of all ages with fast-paced enjoyable experiences. Among these, you’ve probably heard of padel and pickleball, but they’re commonly confused. Both use paddles, nets, and a ball, but their audiences, rules, and play styles differ. This guide explains the main distinctions between them, their surprising similarities, and which one might become your next obsession, regardless of your level of experience.
1. Origins and History
Padel emerged in Mexico (1969) when Enrique Corcuera fused tennis and squash, creating a social sport now beloved in Spain, Latin America, and Europe. Pickleball was born in the U.S. (1965) by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum, blending tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. While padel thrives overseas, pickleball exploded in North America as a family-friendly game and is now a global phenomenon.
2. Equipment
Padel is played on enclosed courts using solid, perforated carbon/fiberglass paddles (no strings) and a low-pressure tennis-style ball for controlled, wall-assisted rallies. Pickleball is played on open courts with non-volley “kitchen” zones using lightweight polymer/graphite paddles and a plastic wiffle ball, with a focus on accuracy over power. Both games focus on control, but pickleball’s equipment encourages gentle, tactical play, while padel’s equipment is more suited for strategic rebounds.
Padel Gear:
- Paddle: Short handle, solid, perforated surface (no strings). Built from fiberglass or carbon fiber for control and power.
- Ball: Like a tennis ball, except it bounces lower because it has less internal pressure.
- Court: Having glass or concrete walls around it, it creates dynamic rebounding, much like a squash court.
Pickleball Gear:
- Paddle: Made of lightweight materials like graphite or polymer, this paddle is larger than a ping-pong paddle.
- Ball: A “wiffle ball” made of lightweight plastic with holes for a slower flight.
- Court: Open, even area with a “kitchen,” or non-volley area, close to the net.
Want to play Pickleball or Padel
3. Court Dimensions and Layout
Padel:
- 20m x 10m (65.6ft x 32.8ft), enclosed by walls.
- Surface: Artificial turf or concrete.
- Net height: 88cm at the center.
Pickleball:
- 13.4m x 6.1m (44ft x 20ft) for doubles; similar to a badminton court.
- Surface: Hardcourt (asphalt or concrete).
- Net height: 91.4cm at the sidelines, 86.4cm at the center.
4. Rules and Scoring
Padel:
Padel is a best-of-three set game with tennis-style scoring (15, 30, 40, game). Underhand serves must bounce diagonally into the opponent’s service box in doubles-focused matches. The walls of the enclosed court serve a purpose because players can bounce shots off of them, giving the game a strategic layer akin to squash. Even after making contact with the wall, rallies persist, requiring spatial awareness.
- Scoring is similar to tennis (15, 30, 40, game).
- Serve: Underhand; must land in the opponent’s service box by bouncing diagonally. They’re walls, and balls can bounce off them.
- Generally played in pairs.
Pickleball :
A more simplified system is used in pickleball, where only the serving team scores and games are played to 11 points (win by 2). Serves are diagonal and underhand, and they land outside the “kitchen,” which is the non-volley zone. The two-bounce rule slows down the start of the game by requiring the ball to bounce once on each side before volleys take place. The kitchen limits net smashes and emphasizes placement and gentle “dinks” in singles and doubles play.
- Scoring: Matches are played to 11 points (a team must lead by 2 to win), and only the team that is serving can score.
- Serves: Should be underhand, go diagonally, and must pass over the non-volley zone.
- Two-bounce rule: The ball is required to bounce once on each side prior to volleys.
- Played either as singles or doubles.
5. Gameplay and Strategy
Padel:
- Wall Integration: Padel players use glass or concrete walls to extend rallies and create angles that challenge traditional tennis logic.
- Team Coordination: In doubles-focused gaming, covering the court requires coordinated placement and communication.
- Lob Tactics: Defensive, high lobs push opponents back, creating space for smashes or drop shots.
- Power vs. Precision: Placement is important, particularly off walls or close to corners, but power is also important.
- Long Rallies: Expect ten or more shot exchanges during long rallies; winners who are patient and consistent outperform those who are aggressive.
- Net Dominance: While volleys and smashes are possible when the net is controlled, overcommitting exposes the backcourt.
Pickleball
- Dinking Duels: Arcing, soft shots into the non-volley zone, or “kitchen,” force opponents to make mistakes or make uncomfortable returns.
- Third-Shot Drop: A calculated soft shot that moves players to the net following the serve and return.
- Two-Bounce Rule: This rule requires groundstrokes to be used first, which slows down the start of the game and promotes strategic serves.
- Kitchen Rules: Players must retreat to “reset” rallies; volleying is prohibited within seven feet of the net.
- Quick Hands: Having lightning-fast reflexes is essential for advanced play, as reflex volleys at the net are the norm.
- Serve Variety: Short serves break the rhythm, while deep serves force opponents back.
6. Target Audience and Accessibility
Padel appeals to tennis and squash players who want to play strategically and socially, but it needs enclosed courts. Where there are facilities, its niche appeal rises. Pickleball is popular among beginners, families, and elders because to its smaller court and slower ball. Tennis and badminton courts can be readily improvised, which encourages quick community uptake. Pickleball is widely accessible because of its inexpensive setup and easy learning curve, whereas padel requires specialized infrastructure. Both encourage social engagement, but pickleball’s versatility and low equipment requirements solidify its place as the preferred sport for informal, multigenerational play.
7. Physical Requirements
Padel
Padel requires moderate to high intensity, as you have to be quick, move laterally, and use explosive bursts to cover the floor. With a focus on leg strength and cardiovascular endurance for quick direction changes and wall-reliant rallies, matches often range between sixty and ninety minutes. Players looking for a vigorous, tennis-like workout will enjoy this activity.
Pickleball
Pickleball is perfect for players of all fitness levels because it has a reduced impact and short, sporadic spurts of activity. Games usually last 15 to 25 minutes and emphasize accuracy and reflexes over physical stamina. It is well-liked by elders and sportsmen recovering from injuries because of its small court, which shortens jogging distance.
Pickleball emphasizes accessibility first, combining strategic play with little exercise, whereas padel tests stamina and athleticism. Select pickleball for comfortable, low-stress fun or padel for a sweatier, more intense session.
8. Popularity and Global Growth
Padel
Padel is very popular in Europe and Latin America, but its popularity in India is still young but looks promising. There are now a few courts in major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru. They are usually in private sports facilities, high-end clubs, or resorts. Passionate players and foreigners who know how to play are stoking interest, and programs at the local level are being supported by international groups such as the World Padel Tour. Though knowledge and infrastructure are limited, the energetic style of the sport fits very nicely with India’s rising taste for recreational racket sports.
Pickleball
Pickleball’s versatility and inexpensive setup are driving its unexpected growth in India. The All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) has been a leader in spreading the game by setting up school programs and national events. There are now more than 50,000 players across the country, with main hubs in Pune, Hyderabad, and Gujarat. India hosted the Pickleball World Cup in 2023, demonstrating the sport’s potential as a competitive and appealing sport. Many people like the game because it’s easy to learn and doesn’t take up much room. It’s also becoming more popular in schools and senior communities as a way to stay fit and socialize.
9. Key Similarities Between Padel and Pickleball
Pickleball and padel are two different sports, but they have some things in common that make them popular all over the world:
- Racket or paddle based fun: Emphasizing control and accessibility, both avoid conventional tennis strings for solid paddles.
- Net Sports DNA: Played across a net, with scoring based on landing the ball in the opponent’s court—mirroring tennis and badminton principles.
- Doubles-Centered Social Play: Designed for 4-player interaction, so promoting cooperation, communication, and friendly competition.
- Underhand Serve: Starting rallies with underhand points out strategy over force and even the playing field.
- Beginning-friendly appeal: Even for first-timers, smaller courts and slower-paced balls make both games easy to master. Unlike tennis.
- Recreational & Casual Vibrues:As social events, thrive at resorts, clubs, and community centers—not only as competitive activities.
- Born from combining older sports: Pickleball is a mix of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, while padel is a mix of squash and tennis.
- Diversity for All: Anyone of any age or fitness level can enjoy them, from kids to adults and everyone in between.
- Court Versatility: Both fit the current tennis/badminton courts (but padel calls for retrofitting walls).
- Global exploded: They are quickly spreading beyond where they started, thanks to pro leagues, amateur events, and the Olympic buzz.
Conclusions
Players in metros like Mumbai and Bengaluru love the wall-smashing approach in padel, while pickleball is popular in schools and Tier-2 cities thanks to its portable courts and cheap gear. Both offer social fun, exercise, and easy-to-understand rules, which is great for India’s love of sports that everyone can play. Anyone of any age can enjoy these sports, whether they want the intense tennis-squash mix of padel or the quick, family-friendly battles of pickleball. Why not attempt both padel clubs growing and pickleball events exploding all around? Join India’s racket revolution in Delhi by grabbing a paddle, gathering with pals, and diving into the next major thing!
