When it started

The first padel is found in Acapulco, Mexico, by Enrique Corcuera in 1969. Today it is the most popular sport in Spain and is spreading rapidly throughout Europe and other continents. The most prestigious Padel competition is the World Padel Tour (WPT), which also started in Spain and has already expanded internationally.

What the court is like

The court where Padel is played is rectangular in shape, 10 metres wide and 20 metres long. It is surrounded by metal mesh and glass panels. The glass panels form the back walls and part of the side walls while the metal mesh takes up the rest of the sides. Each pane of glass measures 3m x 2m, with a one-metre high grid rising above the glass back walls. This extra one metre height continues for 2m along each corner and into the side walls. Thus, the back walls and serving corners are actually 4m high, while the remaining side walls are 3m high.

In the middle of the court there is a net that divides the court in two. The net has a maximum height of 88 cm in the centre, rising to 92 cm on the sides. The main surface of the court is synthetic turf (carpet, carpet), with some quartz while others are not. The service lines are placed 3 meters before the back wall, and these are separated by another line in the middle. All lines are 5 cm wide and must be clearly visible. The minimum height between the court and an obstacle (for example on the roof) is 6 metres.

How it is played

It is always played with four players, two on each side. The score is exactly the same as in tennis. The service movement is from a low position and must not exceed hip height. The player serving must let the ball bounce once on the ground and then immediately hit the ball. The wall is part of the game, but if the ball touches a wall directly, it is considered a touchdown and the defender wins the point. If it touches the ground once first, the defender has the right, if he wants to, to let it touch the wall as well (either once or more, depending on the spot especially in the corners) and then bring it back to the opponent’s side. The lines of the court parallel to the net are used in serving, where the ball must always be within these lines and the only spin that can be played is from the glass. In the event that it hits the side netting it is considered out and a point is awarded to the opposing team. During the game (after the serve) if the ball hits the defender’s court and then the iron wall, then the point continues as normal.

Another point that differentiates the game is that the defender has the right, after the ball first bursts into his own court, to hit it against the back wall and it can then, with the appropriate point, return to the opponent’s court.