Padel vs Tennis: What's the Difference? (And Which Should You Play?)

If you've ever watched a padel match and thought it looked a lot like tennis — you're not alone. The two sports share DNA, but once you step onto a padel court, the differences become crystal clear. In this guide, we break down everything you need to know about padel vs tennis so you can decide which sport is right for you — or understand why so many Australians are making the switch to padel.

The Short Answer

Padel is a racket sport played in an enclosed glass-and-mesh court, always in doubles, with underarm serves and walls in play. Tennis is played on an open court, can be singles or doubles, with overhead serves and no walls. Both use a ball similar to a tennis ball, but padel balls have slightly less pressure.

Court: The Biggest Visual Difference

The most obvious difference between padel and tennis is the court itself.

A padel court measures 20m x 10m — roughly a third of the size of a tennis court. It's fully enclosed by glass walls and metal mesh fencing, which are actively part of the game. The ball can bounce off the walls, just like in squash, adding a completely different tactical dimension.

A tennis court measures 23.77m x 8.23m (singles) or 10.97m wide (doubles). There are no walls — if the ball goes out, it's out.

The enclosed padel court is one of the reasons the sport is so social and beginner-friendly. Rallies last longer because the walls keep the ball in play, which means more fun and less time chasing balls.

Rackets: Solid vs Strung

This is where padel and tennis diverge significantly in equipment.

Tennis rackets are strung with a network of strings across an open frame. They're typically 68–73cm long and can be customised with different string tensions.

Padel rackets (also called padel bats or padel pala) are solid — no strings. They're made from foam core materials like EVA or HR3, wrapped in fibreglass or carbon fibre. They're shorter (45–47cm) and perforated with holes to reduce air resistance. Browse our full range of padel rackets — from beginner-friendly options to professional-grade carbon fibre models.

Scoring: Familiar but Different

Good news for tennis players: padel uses the same scoring system — 15, 30, 40, deuce, advantage, game, set, match. Sets are typically played to 6 games, with a tiebreak at 6-6. Matches are usually best of 3 sets.

The main difference? Padel is always played in doubles. There's no singles padel at a competitive level. This makes it inherently more social — you always need a partner and two opponents.

The Serve: Underarm Only

In tennis, the serve is one of the most powerful weapons — players can hit at speeds exceeding 200km/h. In padel, the serve is deliberately neutralised.

Padel serves must be hit underarm, below waist height, and the ball must bounce in the service box before being struck. This levels the playing field significantly and means the serve is less dominant than in tennis. Points in padel are won through positioning, teamwork, and wall play — not by acing your opponent.

Walls: Padel's Secret Weapon

The walls are what make padel truly unique. After the ball bounces once on your side, it can hit the back or side glass walls and still be in play. You can even use the walls offensively — hitting the ball into the back wall to create angles your opponents can't reach.

This wall play is what gives padel its addictive quality. It rewards creativity and tactical thinking over raw power. Want to improve your wall game? Read our Complete Padel Progression Guide.

Physical Demands: Which is Harder?

Tennis — especially singles — is physically demanding. You cover a large court alone, and the serve requires significant shoulder and arm strength.

Padel is generally considered less physically demanding than tennis, but don't be fooled — at a competitive level, padel requires excellent footwork, reflexes, and endurance. The smaller court means faster exchanges at the net, and the doubles format means constant communication and positioning.

For older players or those returning from injury, padel is often recommended as a gentler entry point into racket sports.

Learning Curve: Which is Easier to Pick Up?

Most people find padel significantly easier to learn than tennis. Here's why:

• The underarm serve is much simpler to master than a tennis serve
• The enclosed court means fewer balls lost and longer rallies from day one
• The solid racket is more forgiving than a strung tennis racket
• The doubles format means you're never alone on court

Many tennis players pick up padel within a session or two. For complete beginners, start with our beginner padel rackets — designed to be forgiving and easy to control from day one.

Popularity in Australia

Tennis has been a staple of Australian sport for decades. But padel is growing rapidly. New courts are opening across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, and participation numbers are climbing year on year.

Globally, padel is the second most played racket sport in the world after tennis, with over 25 million players across 90+ countries. Australia is catching up fast.

Which Should You Play?

Choose tennis if you want a solo sport option, love the tradition of tennis, enjoy the physical challenge of a large court, or aspire to compete at a high individual level.

Choose padel if you want a social sport you can enjoy with friends, are new to racket sports and want a fast learning curve, prefer a doubles-only format, or want a sport that's easier on the body but still competitive and tactical.

Of course, there's no reason you can't play both.

Ready to Try Padel?

If you're curious about padel, the best thing to do is get on a court. When you're ready to invest in your own gear, explore our range of padel rackets, padel balls, and padel bags at Ace Padel Gear. Not sure what budget you need? Check our guide on how much it costs to start playing padel in Australia.