Padel facts for kids
Padel players on outdoor padel courts
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| Highest governing body | International Padel Federation (FIP) |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | Paddle (US, Canada) |
| First played | 1969, Acapulco, Mexico |
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | No |
| Team members | Usually doubles |
| Mixed-sex | Separate competitions (mixed sometimes in leagues) |
| Type | Racquet sport |
| Equipment | Padel racquet, padel ball |
| Venue | Outdoor or indoor padel court |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | Worldwide |
| Olympic | No |
| Paralympic | No |
Padel (pronounced PAH-del) is a fun and fast-paced racket sport that started in Mexico. It's usually played with two teams of two players (doubles) on a special court. This court is a bit smaller than a regular tennis court and has walls around it.
Even though Padel uses the same scoring as tennis, the rules and how you hit the ball are different. The balls look like tennis balls but have a little less air pressure. A big difference is that you can hit the ball off the walls, just like in squash. Also, players use solid bats without strings instead of rackets with strings. When you serve, the ball must be hit at or below your waist.
Contents
The History of Padel
Padel was invented in 1969 by Enrique Corcuera in Acapulco, Mexico. He changed his squash court to add parts of platform tennis. This new game quickly became popular!
Some professional Padel players used to play tennis, like Roberta Vinci and Lara Arruabarrena.
How to Play Padel: The Rules
Padel has clear rules to make the game fair and exciting.
Players and Court Size
- Padel is usually played by four people (two teams of two).
- The court for doubles is 10 meters (about 33 feet) wide and 20 meters (about 66 feet) long.
- If you play singles (one-on-one), the court is smaller: 6 meters (about 20 feet) wide and 20 meters long.
Serves
- Serves in Padel are always hit underhand. This means you hit the ball from below your waist.
- If the ball hits the walls after bouncing on the ground, it's still in play! This is a key difference from tennis.
Balls and Rackets
- Official Padel matches use special Padel balls. They are similar to tennis balls but a bit smaller.
- For casual games, regular tennis balls are often used.
- Padel rackets are solid and don't have strings. They are made from a mix of materials and have holes in the hitting surface.
The Padel Court
- The court floor can be made of concrete, plastic, or artificial grass.
- It looks a bit like a tennis court but is smaller.
- A net divides the court in the middle. The net is about 0.88 meters (35 inches) high.
- The court is surrounded by walls that are 4 meters (about 13 feet) high. These walls can be made of glass or brick, or sometimes a fence if it's an outdoor court.
Court Details
The playing area is a rectangle 10 meters wide and 20 meters long. The net in the middle is 88 cm (about 35 inches) high at the center and goes up to 92 cm (about 36 inches) at the sides.
The back walls and the parts of the side walls near the back are 4 meters high. The rest of the side walls are 3 meters high. Glass panels are often used for the back walls and service side walls, while metal mesh panels are used for the other sides.
Service lines are 3 meters (about 10 feet) from the back wall. All lines on the court are 5 cm (about 2 inches) wide and easy to see. There must be at least 6 meters (about 20 feet) of clear space above the court.
Scoring in Padel
Padel uses the same scoring system as tennis. This means you score points (15, 30, 40, Game), games, and sets.
The Golden Point
In 2020, a new rule called the "Gold Point" or "Golden Point" was added to many Padel tournaments. This rule is now used in many non-professional games too.
- When it happens: The Golden Point happens when the score in a game reaches "deuce" (40-40).
- Choosing the serve: The team that is receiving (not serving) gets to choose if the serve will come from the right or left side of the court.
- Winning the game: The team that wins this one single point wins the entire game! This makes the game very exciting and can end it quickly.
Padel Around the World
Padel is growing in popularity all over the globe!
Padel in Europe
Padel first became very popular in Spain, especially along the sunny Costa del Sol. This helped many British visitors discover the sport, leading to Padel becoming more popular in the UK. The UK Padel Federation was even started in 2011.
Sweden has also seen a huge increase in Padel players and courts. In 2021, there were about 700 Padel courts in Sweden! The Swedish Padel Association became part of the Swedish Sports Confederation in 2021.
Even though Padel started in Spanish-speaking countries, it's now very popular in northern Europe. Countries like Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway often build indoor Padel clubs because of the weather. Belgium, Italy, France, and Germany often prefer outdoor courts.
Padel in the Americas
In the United States, the US Padel Association was founded in 1993 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The American Padel Association was formed in 1995 and built its first courts in Houston, Texas.
Padel in Asia
In 2014, the Swiss Club in Singapore opened the first Padel court in Singapore, bringing the sport to Asia.
See also
In Spanish: Pádel para niños
- Padel World Championship
- Paddle tennis
- Real tennis
