Padel is the sport on the glass-walled court. Paddle tennis, platform tennis and paddleboarding are three other things. If you typed "paddle" looking for the glass-walled game, you're in good company, because the two words sound the same.
Even my own voice notes turn padel into paddle, and Padelism into paddleism. Nobody's wrong to be confused. The sport itself went by "paddle" for its first couple of decades.
Here's the short version, then the detail.
The quick answer
| Where you play | What you hold | The giveaway | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Padel | 20 m x 10 m court with glass and mesh walls | Solid, perforated padel racket | The ball comes off the walls and you play on |
| Paddle tennis (now POP Tennis) | Small open court, no walls | Solid, holed paddle | Looks like mini tennis |
| Platform tennis | Raised deck with wire screens, often outdoors in winter | Paddle up to 18 inches long | Heaters under the deck, played in the cold |
| Paddleboarding | Water | A long paddle | You're on a board, not a court |
Why it's spelt padel
The first padel court went up in Acapulco in 1969. The LTA's history of padel says Enrique Corcuera built it at his holiday home there, with walls and a metal fence around it. His name for the game was "Paddle Corcuera".
So "paddle" came first. The International Paddle Federation was formed in 1991, and British expats set up the British Paddle Association a year later.
When the new spelling arrived depends on whose account you read. In the LTA's version it was 1993: Spain's Sports Council recognised the sport and switched to "padel" so Spanish speakers would say it properly. The FIP's own history gives 1997, the year Spain and Argentina met in Barcelona, agreed one rulebook and standardised the name. Argentina had been writing "Paddle" until then. Today the LTA and the FIP both write padel.
As for saying it out loud, the LTA puts it simply: padel is pronounced "pad-uhl", like the English word "paddle". So you can say it exactly how you always have. Only the spelling changed.
For everything that happened between Acapulco and the pro tours, the history of padel has the full timeline.
Padel vs paddle tennis
This is the mix-up behind most searches. The LTA's own FAQ says padel and paddle tennis are related racket sports, but not the same.
The biggest difference is the walls. Padel is played inside glass walls and mesh, and the walls are part of the game. Paddle tennis is usually played on an open court with no walls.
Paddle tennis has since been rebranded in the US as POP Tennis. The POP Tennis website describes it as tennis with a smaller court, a slower ball and a shorter racquet. The site lists two court sizes, both smaller than a tennis court, and gives the dimensions as 15.24 m x 6.096 m. That's a lot smaller than a padel court. You get one serve per point, and it has to be underarm. The paddles have no strings, just a hole-filled hitting area, and the balls are lower compression than a tennis ball.
So both games use a solid, holed bat and an underarm serve. But one is an open mini tennis court and the other is a glass box. If the ball hits the back wall and somebody plays it, you're watching padel.
Padel vs platform tennis
Platform tennis is the one people outside the US rarely meet. The American Platform Tennis Association says it started in 1928 in Scarsdale, New York, when neighbours wanted a winter racquet sport close to home. The LTA tells it slightly differently: its history of padel puts platform tennis in Washington and New York in the 1910s, and counts it among padel's roots.
It's played on a raised deck, and heaters under the deck keep the surface playable in the cold. The court is 44 ft x 20 ft (about 13.4 m x 6.1 m), marked out on a deck enclosed by 12 ft (about 3.7 m) wire screens. Like padel, you can play the ball off the screens, as long as it hasn't bounced twice. It's mostly a doubles game and you only get one serve.
The paddle can be up to 18 inches long, about 45.7 cm. A padel racket can be no longer than 45.5 cm. Close, but they're different bits of kit for different games.
So platform tennis is the nearest cousin to padel. Walls (well, screens) you play off, and it's mostly doubles. The difference is the setting: a small heated deck built for winter, versus a bigger glass court that's now everywhere from Madrid to Manchester.
Padel vs paddleboarding
Easy one. Paddleboarding is standing or kneeling on a board on the water and moving with a long paddle. No net, no court, no ball.
It turns up in searches because "paddle" is one word doing a lot of jobs. If you live near the sea or a river, you might do both. Just don't turn up to a padel booking with a board.
And pickleball?
Pickleball also uses a paddle, which adds to the muddle. USA Pickleball describes a solid paddle, a perforated plastic ball and a court 20 ft wide by 44 ft long. Different sport, different ball, no walls. The padel vs pickleball comparison goes through the rest.
What is a padel racket called?
It's called a padel racket. That's the word the FIP rules use throughout, and the LTA's racket guide says the same. In Spain it's a pala.
You'll hear plenty of other names at the club. Bat. Paddle. "The racket", said with a shrug. None of them will get you funny looks.
Whatever you call it, it isn't a paddle in the platform tennis or pickleball sense. Those are different bits of kit made to different rulebooks. The padel version has its own limits in the FIP rules, and the padel racket vs tennis racket guide goes through every one, from the length cap to the wrist cord.
If you're buying your first, the LTA guide sorts rackets into three shapes: round, teardrop and diamond. The beginner's guide walks you through your first game.
Padel tennis, padel, paddle: which should you write?
If you want people in the UK to know exactly what you mean, write padel. Say it however you like. "Padel tennis" is fine too, though the LTA just says padel.
And if a mate still calls it paddle after a year of playing, let it go. There are worse crimes. Like never buying a round.
If padel vs tennis is the bigger question for you, there's a full comparison of padel and tennis.
Where Padelism comes in
I play padel and I make clothes for the part after the match. The name is a joke from a best friend that I turned into a brand, and yes, I spell it with one D.
Our heavyweight tees are 100% cotton at 305 g/m2, with an oversized unisex fit. Size down if you want a regular fit. Any two £48 heavyweight tees are £90, applied automatically at checkout. The latest designs land in new in first.
For the court itself, a pair of grip socks at £14 is the only thing I'd add to your bag. And if you're working out the rest of your kit, the what to wear for padel guide covers it.
FAQ
Is padel the same as paddle tennis? No. They're related, but padel is played inside glass walls that are part of the game. Paddle tennis, now called POP Tennis, is played on a small open court with no walls.
Is POP Tennis the same as paddle tennis? Yes. POP Tennis is the newer name for paddle tennis. The game's US body, the United States Paddle Tennis Association, rebranded it, and the POP Tennis site describes a smaller court, a slower ball and a shorter, solid paddle.
How do you pronounce padel? "Pad-uhl", the same as the English word paddle. Only the spelling is different.
What do you call a padel racket? A padel racket. That's the term in the FIP rules and the LTA's guides. In Spanish it's a pala, and many players just call it a bat.
Is platform tennis like padel? It's the closest relative. Both are mostly doubles and let you play the ball off the walls or screens. Platform tennis is played on a smaller raised deck with wire screens and heaters underneath, built for winter.
