Padel is a more and more popular sport that is a combination of elements of tennis and squash. It has its origin in Mexico in the 1960s, but now is wellknown in other parts of the world. Especially in Spain and other countries in Europe. Are you looking to get started with padel? We will give you an insight of everything you need to know.

The Basics

The court of Padel is in between a tennis court and a squash court. The tennis court is bigger and the squash court is smaller. You play with doubles, so two players per team. The goal of the game is to hit the ball over the net onto the other team’s side of the net without letting it bounce more than once. Just like with tennis.

Scoring

The score in padel is similar to the score in tennis. The team that reaches four points first and is ahead by at least to points wins. If the score is even at 40-40, the game is in a ‘deuce’. The team that wins the next points gains ‘advantage’. If they win the next point as well, they win! Mostly matches are played in three or five games.

Serving

If you serve you should do it underhand, and hit the ball below the waist. As a server you stand behind the baseline and hit the ball diagonally into the opponent’s service box. You should serve within the service box without it hits the net. If the serve touches the net and lands in the service box, it is called a ‘let’ and the server gets to serve again.

Playing the Game

If you finished the serve, the game is played similar to tennis.  Players take turns hitting the ball back and forth over the net until one team fails or hits it out of bounds. The part that looks more like squash is that the ball can be played off the walls, as long as it bounces within the court boundaries. The ball can also be played off the metal mesh fence that surrounds the court.

Strategy

Padel is both strategic as based on skills. One of the most important strategies in padel is to control the center of the court. By staying in the middle of the court, players can cover more ground and make it more difficult for their opponents to hit winners. Players should also communicate with their partner to choose who will take each shot and to avoid mistakes.

Equipment

If you want to play padel, you will need a padel racket and padel balls. Padel rackets are a bit similar to tennis rackets but have a slightly shorter handle and a thicker frame. Padel balls are slightly smaller and less dense than tennis balls, and are designed to bounce less.

In conclusion, padel is a sport that is not difficult to learn but difficult to master. By following the rules and strategies in this guide, you can start playing and enjoying this fun game. So grab a racket, find a partner, and get out on the court! For lessons in Ibiza you can contact us. Our padel coaches are at your service.