Padel vs. Tennis: The Differences — and Why Padel Is So Addictive

"Isn't that just small tennis?" — we hear the question a lot. The short answer: no. Padel and tennis are related, but they play completely differently. If you come from tennis, you'll have a few advantages; if you've never held a racket, so will you. In this padel vs. tennis comparison we walk through the key differences — and why padel grabs so many people so fast.

The court: small, enclosed, with walls

The biggest difference is the court. A padel court measures 20 × 10 metres and is enclosed on all sides by glass and mesh walls — a tennis court is far larger and open. In padel the walls are part of the game: if the ball bounces in your court and then hits the glass, you can play it on, much like in squash. Instead of long sprints, timing and clever angles are what count.

The rackets and balls

A padel racket is short, stringless and perforated — a compact, solid hitting surface that's easy to control. A tennis racket is longer and strung. The balls differ too: padel balls look like tennis balls but hold slightly less pressure and bounce lower. That makes the rallies more controllable.

The scoring: almost the same

Good news for tennis fans: the scoring is identical — 15, 30, 40, game, set. The one central difference is the serve. In padel you serve underarm, the ball has to bounce first, and it's played diagonally. There's no powerful overhead serve that settles a point instantly. As a result the rallies stay longer and more exciting.

Padel vs. tennis at a glance

Feature	Padel	Tennis
Court size	20 × 10 m, enclosed	larger, open
Walls	in play (ball may rebound)	none
Racket	short, stringless, perforated	long, strung
Serve	underarm, after a bounce	overhead, powerful
Scoring	15/30/40 (like tennis)	15/30/40
Players	usually 2 vs. 2	singles or doubles
Learning curve	gentle — quick wins	steeper

The learning curve: the biggest difference

This is where padel really parts ways with tennis. In tennis it often takes weeks before your serve and groundstrokes hold up and real rallies happen. In padel you'll manage longer rallies in your very first hour — thanks to the small court, the underarm serve and the walls that keep the ball in play. At the same time there's enough tactical depth that you keep improving over months and never get bored.

The social factor

Padel is almost always played in fours. You stand close together, talk, laugh and cheer each other on — which makes the sport sociable and perfect for meeting new people. It's exactly this mix of quick wins and community feeling that keeps so many people coming back after their first time.

Who is padel right for?

• Tennis converts who want to run less and rally more.
• Beginners looking for instant fun instead of weeks of technique drills.
• Groups and teams who want to play sport and have fun together.

Try it yourself near Zürich

In the end, padel doesn't win you over with explanations — it wins you over by playing. At PDL Zürich in Schlieren — 10 minutes from Zürich, with five indoor and three covered outdoor courts — you can try it with no membership at all. Rental rackets are available on site; bringing three friends is all it takes.

Book a court now and feel the difference yourself. New to the sport? Then start by reading what padel is, or find out how you can learn padel with us.