What Is Padel?

So, what’s all the hype about?

Padel is a 4 player sport that combines rules of tennis and squash. Padel is recognised as extremely fun, social and accessible for all ages and ability due to the court structure and Padel racquet.

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History

Invented by Mexican businessman Enrique Corcuera in 1969, Padel is now played by approx. 18 million players worldwide. The sport became very popular in Spain with currently 6 million active players.

In 1991 the International Paddle Federation was formed and in 1992 the first world championships were held in the dual cities of Madrid and Seville. Spain has since been the professional circuit host of the World Padel Tour where it has been played since 2005. Padel has begun to spread to all corners of the world across Europe, Americas & Oceania.

In 2019 the LTA announced it will integrate Padel into the organisation. They devised a four year plan to develop Padel across the UK. Firstly by improving the infrastructure to make Padel more accessible followed by marketing to improve participation.

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The Court

-  Dimensions: 200m² (10x20m)
-  A net divides the court into two sides
-  Windows and steel fences surround the court
-  The back of the court and the beginning of the sides are made ofwindow glass surmounted by a steel fence (height: 4m)
-  The rest of the sides are exclusively made of a steel fence (height: 3m)
-  Access to the court is on each side of the net
-  There are no doors

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Padel is now played by over 10 million players and has become the fastest growing sport in the world.

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Padel Rules

Play

-  The ball must bounce on the ground before touching any structure. It can then be played again before the second bounce!
-  Players can use their own windows to return the ball
-  Volleys are permitted

Serve

-  The point starts with a serve which must be hit to the opposite square
-  Serve is underhanded, with 2 attempts allowed
-  If the ball hits the net and bounces in the box, it is a let

Scoring

-  Scoring is exactly the same as tennis
-  Six games are needed to win a set and the team which wins two sets wins the game
-  Players will play a 7 points tie-breaker if the score reaches 6/6