We sell both sports across the counter every day, and the question keeps coming: how different is padel from tennis, really? Very — and in ways that explain exactly why padel is converting so many tennis players.
The court
A padel court is 20m x 10m — about a third of a tennis court's area — and enclosed in glass and mesh. The walls are in play after the bounce. Tennis rewards covering huge ground with big strokes; padel rewards positioning, patience and reading rebounds.
The equipment
Tennis: a strung racket and pressurised balls. Padel: a solid foam-cored racket with no strings, and slightly lower-pressure balls. That single difference — no strings — changes everything about how power is generated. Compare our tennis rackets and padel rackets to see how differently the two tools are built.
Serving
Tennis serves are overhead and dominate the point. Padel serves are underarm after a bounce — they start the point rather than ending it. This is the biggest reason padel is friendlier to beginners: no serve barrier.
Physical demands
Tennis asks for sprinting and full-body stroke production; padel asks for short explosive movements, lunges and fast hands at the net. Most players find padel kinder to shoulders and elbows — though padel elbow exists if you over-racket (see our racket-choice guide).
Learning curve
A total beginner rallies in padel within minutes. In tennis, honest answer: weeks. But padel's ceiling is deceptive — the wall game, bandeja and vibora take years, which is why it holds converted tennis players rather than boring them.
Cost
Comparable rackets: entry padel and tennis frames both start around £50–100. Court hire in the UK is currently pricier for padel (demand outstrips courts), but four players split it.
Which should you play?
Both, ideally — the skills transfer beautifully in both directions. Tennis players convert fastest of anyone; their volleys and slices arrive pre-installed.
FAQs
Is padel replacing tennis?
No — UK tennis participation is healthy. Padel is growing the total racket-sport pie, largely by recruiting people tennis never reached.
Can I use my tennis shoes for padel?
Clay-court tennis shoes work well on padel turf. Hard-court soles are marginal — dedicated padel shoes grip better.
Can I use tennis balls on a padel court?
They will bounce too lively. Proper padel balls are cheap — use them.
Whichever side you land on, we stock both games wall to wall: padel and tennis.