Put a padel ball next to a tennis ball and most people can't tell them apart. Yellow, fuzzy, near enough the same size. The LTA says they're made from a similar rubber compound and covered in the same material, which is exactly why they get mixed up.
They're still different balls. And the difference comes down to two things: size and pressure.
The short answer: a padel ball is slightly smaller and less pressurised than a tennis ball. The weight range is identical. The LTA says the lower pressure makes padel balls play slower and bounce less, which helps when you're playing off the glass. A tennis ball bounces too much for a padel court.
Below is what each rulebook actually sets, and how to tell when it's time to crack open a new tube.
The spec table
These figures come from the FIP Rules of Padel (2026 edition) and Appendix I of the ITF Rules of Tennis. The tennis column uses the Type 2 ball, which the ITF says is intended for medium-slow, medium and medium-fast courts.
| Padel ball (FIP) | Tennis ball, Type 2 (ITF) | |
|---|---|---|
| Diameter | 6.35 to 6.77 cm | 6.54 to 6.86 cm |
| Weight | 56.0 to 59.4 g | 56.0 to 59.4 g |
| Internal pressure | 4.6 to 5.2 kg "per 2.54 square cm" (the FIP's wording) | No figure for pressurised balls. A pressureless ball can be no more than 7 kPa (1 psi) |
| Bounce, new ball | 135 to 145 cm, dropped from 2.54 m onto a hard surface | 135 to 147 cm rebound, tested to the ITF's own method |
| Squeeze test | Not set | Forward deformation 0.56 to 0.74 cm, return 0.80 to 1.08 cm |
| Durability | Not set | Lab test that simulates nine games. Rebound can't change by more than 4.0 cm |
| Cover | Rubber sphere with a uniform outer surface | Fabric cover, any seams stitchless |
| Colour | White, yellow or another colour that clearly contrasts with the court | White or yellow |
| High altitude | Above 1,000 m, a different ball can be used, bounce over 121.92 cm and under 135 cm | Above 1,219 m, a high-altitude ball with a 122 to 135 cm rebound |
What the numbers actually tell you
Size: smaller, but only just. The padel range tops out at 6.77 cm, below the tennis maximum of 6.86 cm. It also starts lower, at 6.35 cm against 6.54 cm. Between 6.54 and 6.77 cm the two ranges overlap, so you'll never spot it by eye. Tennis also has a Type 3 slow ball at 7.00 to 7.30 cm, which is bigger again.
Weight: identical on paper. Both rulebooks say 56.0 to 59.4 g. Putting them on the kitchen scales won't settle anything.
Pressure: the real difference. The FIP writes an internal pressure range straight into its rules. The ITF doesn't give one for pressurised tennis balls. It controls how the ball behaves instead, through the bounce and squeeze tests. The LTA's summary is the useful bit: tennis balls run at higher pressure, padel balls lower.
Bounce: closer than you'd expect. A new padel ball must bounce 135 to 145 cm. A Type 2 tennis ball, 135 to 147 cm. Don't read much into that overlap. The FIP spells out its test in the rule itself, a drop from 2.54 m onto a hard surface. The ITF points to its own test regulations, which aren't printed in the rules. So the numbers aren't a like-for-like comparison. What the LTA says about real play is clear enough: padel balls play slower and don't bounce as much.
Can you swap them?
Tennis balls for padel: no. The LTA says a tennis ball's higher pressure makes it bounce too much for an enclosed court. It's hard to control, and it doesn't play the way padel is meant to.
Padel balls for tennis: fine for a knock about. For anything official, tennis balls have to meet Appendix I. The standard Type 1, 2 and 3 balls all start at 6.54 cm, so a padel ball at the small end of its range (6.35 cm) would be under size.
If tennis is where you've come from, the ball is only one change. The padel racket vs tennis racket guide covers the other piece of kit, and padel vs tennis covers the court, serve and walls.
When to open a new tube: a checklist
The LTA says padel balls typically last around three to five hours of play before they lose pressure and bounce. That's your guide. Here's how to check at the court.
- Count the hours. Three hours or more on this set? You're in the window where the LTA says they start to go. By five, plan on a fresh tube.
- Do a side by side drop. Hold a used ball and a new one at the same height and let go together. If the used one comes up clearly short, it's done. For reference, the FIP drops a new ball from 2.54 m and expects 135 to 145 cm back. You don't need a tape measure, just the comparison.
- Give it a squeeze. Press a used ball and a new one between finger and thumb. If the used one gives noticeably more, it's lost pressure.
- Bin anything split. Under FIP Rule 10, a ball that splits during a point makes it a let, so the point is replayed. Don't put it back in the tube.
- Keep the wear even. One new ball in with two tired ones plays like two different balls. In competition, FIP Rule 17 says a ball lost in the first two games after a ball change gets replaced with a new one, and after that with a used ball of similar wear. Do the same socially.
- Check before an event. Rule 17 also says organisers must announce the brand and type of ball, how many are used (two or three) and any change policy, in advance. Playing a tournament? Find out before you bring your own.
- Read the tube. If it doesn't say padel, it's probably a tennis ball that wandered into your bag.
Buying balls for a padel player as a present? The padel gifts for non-players guide has a few pointers. For every other rule in the book, from serves to the glass, see the padel rules guide.
The rest of the bag
Padelism makes clothes, not balls, so grab your tubes from your club or any sports shop. The small kit Padelism does sell is in accessories. There are overgrips at £7 for a 3 pack or £12 for a 6 pack, and grip socks at £14. Plus caps, a dad hat and a beanie for the walk back to the car.
FAQ
Are padel balls the same as tennis balls? No. They look alike, and the LTA says they use a similar rubber compound and the same cover material. But a padel ball is slightly smaller and less pressurised, so it plays slower and bounces less.
Can you use tennis balls to play padel? No. The LTA says a tennis ball's higher pressure makes it bounce too much for an enclosed padel court, which makes it hard to control.
Are padel balls smaller than tennis balls? Slightly. The FIP sets a padel ball at 6.35 to 6.77 cm across. The ITF sets a Type 2 tennis ball at 6.54 to 6.86 cm. The ranges overlap, so the difference is small.
How long does a tube of padel balls last? The LTA says around three to five hours of play before the balls lose pressure and bounce. Drop a used ball beside a new one to check.
What happens if a padel ball splits during a point? Under FIP Rule 10, it's a let, so the point is replayed.
