Padel vs Tennis: What's the Difference?

If you've heard people talking about padel tennis lately, you're not alone. It's the fastest-growing sport in the world — and it's finally landing in New Zealand. But if you're a tennis player (or just someone who's seen a padel court and thought "what on earth is that?"), you probably have questions.

Padel looks like tennis at first glance. There's a net, a ball, and something that resembles a racket. But step onto a padel court and you'll quickly realise it's a completely different game — one that's arguably more fun, more social, and way easier to pick up. Whether you're eyeing up your first padel racket or just curious about the hype, here's how the two sports actually compare.

Padel and Tennis — Same Family, Different Vibe

Padel and tennis are cousins, not twins. They share some DNA — the scoring system is almost identical (15, 30, 40, deuce, advantage), the ball looks similar, and you're hitting it over a net. But that's roughly where the similarities end.

Tennis is a sport built around power and precision. Big serves, baseline rallies, and individual brilliance. Padel is built around strategy, placement, and teamwork. Think chess with a bounce. The difference between padel and tennis isn't just technical — it's a whole different feeling on court.

Tennis has been around since the 1800s. Padel was invented in Mexico in 1969, when Enrique Corcuera built a modified court in his backyard with walls around it. That quirky origin story tells you a lot about the sport's personality: it was literally designed to be played with mates in a relaxed setting.

The Courts: Glass Walls Change Everything

The most obvious difference? The court itself.

A padel court is roughly 25% smaller than a tennis court — 20m x 10m compared to 23.77m x 10.97m (for doubles tennis). But the real game-changer is the enclosure. Padel courts are surrounded by walls — glass at the back and sides, with sections of metal mesh. And here's the kicker: the walls are in play.

That means the ball can bounce off the back wall or side walls and you can keep the rally going. If you've ever played squash, you'll get the idea. It creates longer rallies, more dramatic points, and shots that are genuinely impossible in tennis — like letting the ball hit the back glass before scooping it back over the net.

Tennis courts, by contrast, are open. The ball is either in or out. There's no second chance off a wall. It's a more binary game in that sense.

The enclosed court also means padel feels more intimate. You're closer to your opponents, closer to your partner, and the whole thing has a social buzz that open-air tennis courts just don't replicate.

The Equipment: Rackets vs Racquets

Here's where people get confused — and fair enough.

Tennis uses a strung racquet — an oval frame threaded with synthetic strings that generate power and spin. Tennis racquets are longer (around 68-71cm) and lighter relative to their size, designed for big swings and topspin.

Padel uses a solid racket (no strings) with a perforated face — those little holes you see punched through the hitting surface. Padel rackets are shorter (around 45-46cm), thicker, and have no strings at all. The hitting surface is made from composite materials, usually layers of carbon fibre or fibreglass over a foam core.

Carbon fibre rackets are stiffer, more powerful, and tend to offer a crisper feel. Fibreglass rackets are more flexible, more forgiving, and generally better for beginners because they absorb more vibration and give you a larger sweet spot. Many beginner-friendly rackets (like ours) use a blend — carbon fibre for durability and structure, with enough flex to be forgiving when you're still finding your timing.

The shape matters too. Padel rackets come in three main shapes: round (most control, biggest sweet spot), teardrop (balance of control and power), and diamond (most power, smallest sweet spot). If you're just starting out, round or teardrop is the way to go.

Oh, and the balls? Padel balls look almost identical to tennis balls, but they have slightly less pressure. That means they bounce a bit lower and slower — which keeps rallies going and makes the game more accessible.

The Rules: What's Different?

If you know tennis scoring, you already know padel scoring. Sets, games, deuce, advantage — it's all the same. But the rules of play? Quite different.

The serve is underarm. No overhead smashes to start the point. In padel, you bounce the ball and hit it below waist height. This levels the playing field massively — there's no dominant serve in padel the way there is in tennis. Every point is genuinely contested from the first shot.

Walls are in play. After the ball bounces on your side, it can hit the back wall or side wall and you can still return it. This creates wild, creative points and means rallies last longer. It also means positioning and anticipation matter more than raw power.

It's always doubles. Padel is designed as a four-player game. There's no singles padel (well, technically there are some modified courts, but 99% of padel is doubles). This is a big part of why the sport feels so social — you're always playing with a partner.

The net is lower. A padel net is 88cm at the centre vs 91.4cm for tennis. Small difference, but it keeps the ball in play more often.

You can play off the walls on your opponent's side too — in some situations, you can even hit the ball out of the cage (yes, really) and your partner can retrieve it. These are rare, highlight-reel moments, but they happen.

Which Sport is Easier to Learn?

Padel. No contest.

Tennis has a notoriously steep learning curve. Getting a consistent serve alone can take months. The technique for topspin forehands, one-handed backhands, and volleys requires serious coaching and repetition. Most beginners spend their first few sessions chasing balls into the fence.

Padel is different. Because the racket is shorter and solid (no strings to worry about), it feels more intuitive — almost like an extension of your hand. The underarm serve means you can get the ball in play from your first game. The walls keep rallies alive, so you spend more time actually playing and less time picking up balls.

Most people can have a proper, enjoyable rally within their first 30 minutes of padel. With tennis, that same milestone might take weeks.

This is exactly why we designed the Paloma Padel Racket with beginners in mind — the teardrop shape gives you a generous sweet spot, and the carbon fibre construction keeps it light enough to swing comfortably while you're still building technique.

That's not to say padel doesn't have depth. At the competitive level, the tactics, wall play, and net game are incredibly nuanced. But the floor is lower — you can have fun from day one.

Which Sport is More Social?

This is where padel really shines — and honestly, it's the main reason the sport is exploding worldwide.

Tennis can be social, but it's often a solo pursuit. Singles matches are intense, focused affairs. Even doubles tennis has a certain seriousness to it. And on a full-sized tennis court, you're quite far from the other players.

Padel is social by design. You're always playing doubles, so you need at least one mate to play with (and you'll make more). The court is smaller and enclosed, which means you can actually talk to your partner — and even your opponents — during play. Conversations happen between points. Banter flows naturally. It feels less like a competition and more like a catch-up that happens to involve sport.

The rallies are longer and less physically punishing than tennis, so the energy stays fun rather than exhausting. A typical padel session is 60-90 minutes, and most people finish feeling energised rather than destroyed.

There's a reason padel clubs around the world double as social hubs — with cafés, bars, and communal areas built around the courts. The sport attracts people who want to be active and social. If you've been comparing padel vs pickleball, you'll notice both share this social DNA — but padel's enclosed courts and wall play give it a unique tactical edge.

Can Tennis Players Switch to Padel?

Absolutely — and many do. But here's the thing: the tennis players who struggle most with padel are the ones who try to play it like tennis.

If you come from tennis, you'll have some advantages. Your hand-eye coordination is sharp. You understand court positioning. You know how to read a ball's trajectory. These all transfer well.

But you'll need to unlearn a few things:

• Power isn't king. In tennis, a huge forehand wins points. In padel, a huge forehand usually just bounces off the back wall and sets up an easy return for your opponent. Placement and touch beat power almost every time.
• The wrist matters more. Tennis technique comes from the shoulder and full arm swing. Padel is more wrist-driven, with shorter, more compact movements.
• Let the walls work for you. Your instinct will be to hit every ball before it reaches the wall. Resist it. Letting the ball come off the back glass gives you more time and better angles.
• The net is where points are won. In padel, the team that controls the net usually wins. Get comfortable moving forward.

Most tennis players who give padel a proper go — say, three or four sessions — end up hooked. It scratches the same competitive itch but with a more relaxed, social wrapper around it.

Where to Play Padel in New Zealand

Padel is still young in New Zealand, but it's growing fast. Courts are popping up across the country, with clubs and facilities in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and several other centres.

Most courts offer casual bookings and beginner sessions, so you don't need to join a league or know anyone — just book a court and grab three mates. Many facilities also rent rackets if you want to try before you buy.

The NZ padel community is welcoming and still small enough that you'll recognise faces quickly. It's a great time to get in early — before the courts get packed.

The Bottom Line

Is padel like tennis? Sort of — in the way that surfing is like bodyboarding. Same ocean, different experience.

Tennis is a brilliant sport with over a century of tradition, incredible athletes, and a depth of technique that rewards years of dedication. If you love tennis, keep playing tennis.

But if you're looking for something new — something easier to pick up, more social by nature, and genuinely fun from your very first session — padel tennis is worth a try. The smaller court, solid racket, underarm serve, and wall play combine to create a sport that's accessible, strategic, and ridiculously addictive.

New Zealanders are catching on. The only question is whether you'll be ahead of the curve or chasing it.