What Is Padel? The Sport, the Rules and How to Start
Quick Answer
What is padel? Padel is a racket sport played in doubles on a 20 by 10 metre court enclosed by glass walls and mesh. You serve underarm, score like tennis, and can play the ball off the walls after it bounces. It uses a solid, perforated racket without strings and a slightly depressurised tennis-style ball.
- Players: almost always four, two per side.
- Racket: solid, stringless, usually 350 to 375 g, with round, teardrop or diamond shapes.
- First racket at Padelnox: from $69 for a forgiving round frame.
Key Takeaways
- It is easy to start: most beginners rally within their first hour, because the court is small and the walls keep the ball alive.
- The walls are the whole game: learning to let the ball come off the glass is the first real skill.
- It is played in doubles: positioning and teamwork matter more than raw power.
- Beginners need control, not power: a round or teardrop racket with a soft core is the right first buy.
- It is growing fast in the US: new clubs are opening, and many players come from tennis or pickleball.
Quick Links
- What is padel, in plain English
- Padel rules: the basics
- Teaching a first padel block
- What you need to play padel
- How to start playing padel in the US
- Where to buy
- FAQ
What Is Padel, in Plain English?
When an American friend asks me what padel is, I say this: imagine tennis doubles on a smaller court, with squash walls around it, and a solid racket that makes everything a little slower and more tactical. That is most of it.
The sport started in Mexico in the late 1960s and became enormous in Spain and Argentina. I grew up with it in Valencia, where it is as normal as basketball is here. You book a court with three friends for ninety minutes, and you leave soaked through and laughing.
Padel is sometimes called padel tennis, and people often confuse it with two other sports. It is not American paddle tennis, which is a different game with its own court. It is not platform tennis, which is played outdoors in winter on a raised deck. And it is not pickleball, although the two are often compared. My padel vs pickleball guide explains that difference in detail.
The court. 20 metres long, 10 metres wide, with a net across the middle. Glass walls stand at each end and along part of the sides; the rest is mesh fence. The surface is usually artificial turf with sand.
The ball. It looks like a tennis ball but has slightly less pressure, so it bounces a little lower and slower.
The racket. No strings. A solid frame with a foam or EVA core, a carbon or fibreglass face and holes drilled through it. Most weigh 350 to 375 g. I explain racket shapes further down, and in full in my padel racket shapes guide.
Padel Rules: The Basics You Need
Knowing what is padel on paper is one thing; playing it is easier than it sounds. You can play your first game knowing just these rules. Everything else you will pick up on court.
The serve. Stand behind the service line, bounce the ball, and hit it underarm at or below waist height, diagonally into your opponent's service box. The ball must bounce in the box. You get two attempts, as in tennis.
The bounce. After the serve, the ball can be volleyed or played after one bounce on your side. It cannot bounce twice.
The walls. Once the ball has bounced on your side, it can hit your glass walls and you can still play it. You can even hit the ball against your own back wall to send it over the net. What you cannot do is hit the ball so it strikes your opponent's glass or fence before it bounces on their side. That is out.
Scoring. Exactly like tennis: 15, 30, 40, game, and sets of six games. Many social games play a deciding point at deuce to keep things moving.
Doubles. Padel is played as doubles almost everywhere. There are singles courts, but they are rare.
That is genuinely enough to start. The subtle bits, like when you may leave the court to play a ball that bounces out through an open side, can wait until you are ready for them.
Teaching a First Padel Block: What Happens in Six Sessions
I run the same six-session block for every group of complete beginners. Here is what usually happens, so you know what to expect.
Session one. We skip the rules and just rally. People are surprised how quickly the ball comes back. The small court and the walls mean even a beginner reaches most balls. By the end of the hour, nearly everyone has hit a few shots they are proud of.
Session two. The back glass. This is the moment of confusion. Everyone swings at the ball before it comes off the wall. I make them stand still, let the ball hit the glass, turn with it and play it on the way out. It clicks for most people after twenty repetitions.
Session three. The volley and the lob. Padel is won at the net, and the lob is how you push the other team away from it. I show the basic defensive lob from the back of the court and the short punch volley at the net.
Session four. The serve and positioning. We play proper points. I teach the two basic positions: both players at the net, or both back. Split positions get punished.
Session five. The bandeja. This is the controlled overhead that keeps you at the net when someone lobs you. It is the shot that makes people feel like real padel players.
Session six. A mini tournament. By now the racket matters. Students on stiff, head-heavy frames struggle to control volleys. Students on round, soft frames like the TUYO Tyro in orange ($79) or the PUMA Nova Pro CTR 2025 ($119) place the ball more easily and keep their arms fresh through a full ninety minutes.
What Is Padel Gear? What You Need to Play Padel
The shopping list is short: a racket, balls, suitable shoes, an overgrip and a frame protector.
Racket shape. Round frames have a low balance and a big sweet spot: the most control and the easiest to learn with. Teardrops sit in the middle. Diamonds have a high balance and hit hardest but are least forgiving. For your first racket, round or teardrop.
What is 12K in a padel racket? It describes the carbon weave: 12,000 carbon filaments per strand. 3K, 12K and 18K are common, and in general a higher number means a stiffer, more direct face. Beginners do not need 18K. My 12K vs 18K carbon guide explains it properly.
What is the best padel racket brand? There is not one. NOX, Bullpadel and Babolat all make excellent frames at every level. PUMA and TUYO make good value frames. Choose shape, weight and level first, brand second. My best padel rackets of 2026 list compares them.
Balls, grips and protectors. Buy a fresh can of balls for your group, an overgrip like the HEAD Overgrip 3 Pack ($16.99), and a protector for the top of the frame. My padel balls guide explains why balls go flat quickly.
Here are six first rackets I recommend to new players, with specs exactly as each manufacturer publishes them:
| Model | Shape | Weight | Balance | Core | Face | Player level | Price at Padelnox |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOX Silhouette | Oversized round | 350 - 365 g | - | HR3 | 3K fibreglass | Beginner | $69 |
| TUYO Tyro - Orange | Round | 350 - 355 g | - | EVA Soft | 100% carbon | - | $79 |
| PUMA Nova Pro CTR 2025 | Round | 360 g | Low | EVA | 3K carbon | Intermediate/advanced | $119 |
| TUYO Cosmic Silver | Teardrop | 350 - 370 g | - | EVA Medium | 3K carbon | - | $119 |
| NOX ML10 Pro Cup 3K 2024 | Round | 360 - 375 g | Low | HR3, medium | 3K carbon fiber | Beginner to competition | $239 |
| Babolat Counter Veron 2.6 2026 | Round | 355 - 375 g | High | Black EVA, medium | Carbon Flex (carbon fiber and fiberglass) | Beginner to improver | $279 |
The NOX Silhouette ($69) is the most forgiving: an oversized round head and a 3K fibreglass face. The NOX ML10 Pro Cup 3K 2024 ($239) is the one to grow into, round with a low balance and listed from beginner to competition. The Babolat Counter Veron 2.6 2026 ($279) is Babolat's round frame for beginner to improver players. See my best padel racket for beginners guide for more.
How to Start Playing Padel in the US
Once you know what is padel and what gear you need, getting on court in the US takes a little planning, because clubs are still spread out. This is the route I give every new student.
- Find a club. Search for padel clubs near you. Most new US clubs are in bigger cities, and many run beginner clinics.
- Book a beginner clinic or a lesson. One hour with a coach saves you weeks of bad habits, especially with the walls.
- Borrow a racket first. Most clubs lend demo rackets. Play two or three sessions before you buy.
- Buy a round or teardrop racket. Aim for 350 to 365 g with a soft core. Look at the padel rackets under $150 first.
- Set it up. Add an overgrip to build the handle to your hand, and fit a frame protector before you play against the glass.
- Get the right shoes. Herringbone or omni soles grip the sandy turf. Running shoes slip.
- Play regularly with the same group. Padel is social. A fixed weekly game is the fastest way to improve.
Where to Buy
Padelnox is a US-based online store with genuine brand stock, never replicas, and 221 frames and bags in stock. Every padel racket we sell is listed in one collection, and control-first families have their own pages, such as NOX ML10 and X-One and Babolat Veron. Every order is inspected before dispatch and shipped tracked. Orders are processed in 1 to 3 business days, and delivery takes 7 to 14 business days from dispatch.
Shipping is free and tracked over $99, and $9.95 flat under that. Unused items can be returned within 30 days in original packaging. Every racket over $150 comes with the free Court-Ready Kit, an overgrip 3-pack and a frame protector, and 3 or more accessories save 15% automatically. See the shipping and returns page and the automatic offers. Questions about a first racket: helppadelnox@outlook.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is padel the same as paddle tennis?
No. Padel is played on a 20 by 10 metre court with glass walls, a solid perforated racket and a pressurised ball, and the walls are in play. American paddle tennis is a different sport with its own court and rules, and platform tennis is another one again, played outdoors on a raised deck. The names sound alike, which is why people mix them up.
How do you play padel for the first time?
Book a court or a beginner clinic at a padel club, borrow a demo racket and find three other players. Learn the underarm serve, the rule that the ball must bounce once before hitting the walls on your side, and tennis scoring. Then rally. Most beginners have fun within the first hour because the small court and walls keep the ball in play.
What is the best padel racket for beginners?
A round or teardrop racket between 350 and 365 g with a soft core and a forgiving face. Round frames like the NOX Silhouette or PUMA Nova Pro CTR 2025 have a low balance and a large sweet spot, which makes volleys easier to control. Avoid stiff, head-heavy diamond frames until you can swing cleanly and consistently. They are built for experienced players.