Padel and tennis share a scoring system and not much else. The court is smaller and walled in. The serve goes underarm. The ball comes back off the glass and you are still in the point.
If you play tennis and you're wondering about padel, you're in a big crowd. The LTA says about two-thirds of the one million people playing padel in Britain also play tennis. So this isn't a choice most people make once. Plenty of players do both.
Here's the honest comparison, point by point, then a quick guide on which to try and what to wear for each.
Padel vs tennis at a glance
| Padel | Tennis | |
|---|---|---|
| Court | 20 m x 10 m, enclosed by glass and mesh | 23.77 m long, 8.23 m wide (singles) or 10.97 m (doubles), open |
| Players | Doubles | Singles or doubles |
| Net height (centre) | 0.88 m | 0.914 m |
| Serve | Underarm, after a bounce, struck at or below the waist | Ball hit before it touches the ground, usually overhead |
| Walls | In play after the ball bounces on your side | No walls |
| Scoring | Same as tennis: 15, 30, 40, deuce, sets of six | 15, 30, 40, deuce, sets of six |
| Racket | Flat, perforated faces over a foam or EVA core, no strings, max 45.5 cm long | Strung |
Court and racket figures for padel are from the FIP Rules of Padel, as hosted on the LTA website. Tennis court sizes follow the ITF Rules of Tennis, as quoted by ASICS.
The court
A padel court is 20 metres by 10 metres. A doubles tennis court is 23.77 metres by 10.97 metres. So padel is close to the width of a doubles tennis court, but nearly four metres shorter, and it has walls all the way round.
That shorter court changes everything. Points are quicker to reach. You spend more time near the net. And the back glass means a ball that would beat you in tennis can come back into play.
Scoring
This is the easy bit. Padel uses the same scoring as tennis. Points go 15, 30, 40. At 40-40 it's deuce. First to six games with a two-game lead takes the set, with a tie-break at 6-6.
One extra you might meet: the golden point. The FIP rules list "no advantage" scoring as an alternative. At deuce, the next point wins the game. You may meet it in social games because it keeps things moving. Ask before the first game so nobody argues at 40-40.
The serve
The biggest shock for tennis players. In padel you bounce the ball and serve underarm. The ball has to be hit at or below your waist, and you serve from behind the service line. It goes diagonally into the box opposite, like tennis. You still get a second serve.
In tennis the rule is that the ball must be hit before it touches the ground. Most players serve overhead, and a big first serve can win points on its own.
What this means in practice: in padel the serve is a way to start the point, not to win it. A tennis player with a huge first serve loses that edge. A tennis player with a good return and soft hands keeps theirs.
The walls
This is where padel stops looking like tennis.
The LTA's rules boil it down to a few lines:
- After the ball bounces on your side, it can come off the glass or the mesh before you hit it back.
- Your shot must cross the net and bounce in the other court before it hits their wall or mesh.
- If your shot hits the opponents' glass or mesh without bouncing first, it's out.
- You can volley, except on the return of serve.
The trap for tennis players is the deep drive. In tennis, a hard, flat ball to the baseline is a good shot. In padel, the same ball often hits the back glass on the full and you lose the point. Or it bounces, rebounds off the glass and sits up nicely for your opponent.
So the game rewards patience. Lobs, low volleys and waiting for the right ball win more points than power.
Learning curve
The LTA describes padel as "Easy to play, fun for all ages and extremely social." The rules back that up. An underarm serve is something almost anyone can land on day one. A smaller court means less running to reach the ball. And the walls give you a second chance on balls that would be gone in tennis.
Tennis asks more of you at the start. Getting a serve in and keeping a rally going on a big open court takes time.
The catch is that padel's easy start hides a lot of depth. Reading the ball off two walls, knowing when to lob and when to go to the net, working as a pair: that's years of learning, same as tennis.
Rackets and kit
A padel racket has no strings. The LTA's racket guide describes a foam or EVA core under a fibreglass or carbon surface, and the FIP rules say both faces must be flat and drilled with holes. It can be no longer than 45.5 cm. It's short and stubby next to a tennis racket. No strings means nothing to restring. What does wear out is the grip, which is why regular players keep a pack of overgrips in the bag.
Cost and the social side
Padel is a doubles game, so a court booking is shared four ways. Tennis can be two players or four. Your exact cost depends on the venue, the time and whether it's indoors, so check your local booking app rather than trusting a national average.
The social side is where the two feel most different to me. Four people on a small court are close enough to talk between points. Games are short and busy. And because you always need a fourth, padel groups tend to grow. Somebody brings a mate, then that mate brings one. That's also why so many games end with all four of you at the bar.
Padel or tennis: which should you try?
Try padel first if:
- You want to be rallying in your first session
- You like doubles and playing as a pair
- Your tennis serve is a weak spot, or your shoulder doesn't love serving overhead
- You want something sociable you can book with three friends
Stick with tennis (or play both) if:
- You love singles and having the whole court to yourself
- Your serve is your best weapon
- You enjoy long baseline rallies and a big swing
If you already play tennis, padel is easy to add. Your volleys, your feel at the net and the scoring all carry over. The habits to drop are the big flat drive and the urge to win the point on serve.
What to wear for each
Tennis can have dress codes. The best-known is Wimbledon, where players must wear "suitable tennis attire that is almost entirely white". Many clubs have their own rules, so check before you turn up.
Padel has no UK-wide dress code. The LTA's guidance says "any type of comfortable activewear and trainers" is fine. So the kit you already wear for tennis will do, white or not. The one thing worth checking is your shoes, because padel courts are textured and indoor venues want non-marking soles. Add a pair of grip socks at £14 and you're set.
After either one, the dress code is your own. This is where I come in. I make clothes for the part after the match. Heavyweight tees in 100% cotton at 305 g/m2, like the Padel & Pints tee for the drink that always follows. A 350 g/m2 fleeced Mk1 Box Hoodie to pull on when you cool down. Heavyweight fleece joggers for the drive home. None of it is for playing in. It suits a padel bag and a tennis bag just the same.
FAQ
Is padel easier than tennis? Easier to start, yes. The underarm serve and smaller court mean most beginners rally in their first game. Getting good takes just as long.
Is padel scoring the same as tennis? Yes. 15, 30, 40, deuce, and sets of six games. Some games use a golden point at deuce, where the next point wins the game.
Can you play padel with a tennis racket? No. Padel uses a stringless racket with flat, perforated faces, no longer than 45.5 cm under the FIP rules.
Will playing tennis help me at padel? Yes. Volleys, net play and scoring carry over. Expect to unlearn the hard flat drive, because a ball that hits the back glass on the full is out.
Is a padel court smaller than a tennis court? Yes. A padel court is 20 m by 10 m. A doubles tennis court is 23.77 m by 10.97 m, so padel is about the same width but nearly four metres shorter, with walls all the way round.
