Padel, explained
What is padel, and why is everyone suddenly playing it?
A racket sport played in doubles on an enclosed court with walls in play. The easiest racket sport to start, and the reason is the walls.
Padel is a racket sport played in doubles on an enclosed court, with glass walls that stay in play. If you have seen a game through a window and thought it looked like tennis in a squash court, that is close enough to start with.
The short version
- Always doubles. Two against two, every time.
- The court is enclosed by glass and mesh, and the walls are part of the game.
- The serve is underarm, which is why a complete beginner can start a rally in their first minute.
- Scoring is tennis scoring: 15, 30, 40, game, and sets to six games.
- The racket is solid and perforated, with no strings.
Why the walls change everything
In tennis, a ball past you is a point lost. In padel it is not. The ball can come off the back glass and be played as it returns, so rallies keep going long after a tennis point would have ended.
That single difference is why padel is easier to enjoy on day one. You do not need a reliable serve or a long reach to have a rally, because the court gives the ball back to you. Beginners get rallies in their first game, and rallies are the fun part.
Where it came from
Padel was devised in Acapulco, Mexico, in 1969, and spread first through Spain and Argentina, where it is now one of the most played sports in the country. Its arrival in Australia is recent, which is why so many people have heard the word and never seen a court.
Who it suits
People who have never held a racket, and people who gave up tennis because of the serve. Doubles means you are never alone on court, and the enclosed space keeps everybody close enough to talk. It is a social sport that happens to keep score.
Where to play on the Gold Coast
Parkwood Padel Club has premium indoor courts in the Sports Precinct at Parkwood Village, 76-104 Napper Road, Parkwood QLD 4214, open 07:00 to 22:00 every day. Indoor means the weather never cancels a game. The club is opening soon and the opening date, court hire prices and the number of courts are still to be confirmed.
Book a court on MATCHi