Padel is a doubles game on a glass-walled court: two players on each side of the net, a ball much like a tennis ball, and walls you can use as in squash. The racket is short and has no strings, and you serve underarm. That is why you can play real rallies from the very first time, and it is the main charm of padel. Here is what you need, how to get a court and four players together, and how to find partners at your level in Estonia.
What you need
- Racket. Most padel venues rent rackets, so you need not buy anything for the first time. A beginner does best with a round head and a softer face: the sweet spot is bigger and the ball flies more easily. Diamond-shaped, stiff rackets are for power and need good technique.
- Balls. A padel ball looks like a tennis ball but has slightly lower pressure. A tennis ball does not give the same game. A new tube costs little, and usually one of the four brings one.
- Shoes. Padel or tennis shoes with a sole that grips on sandy artificial grass. Running shoes slip.
- Wrist cord. The racket has a cord on the handle that goes around your wrist. The official rules require it, and it stops the racket flying into your partner by accident.
A court and four players
A padel court is usually booked for an hour or an hour and a half and the price is split four ways. Many padel venues take bookings in the Playtomic app, some on their own website. The venue's page on kahur.ee links to that website.
The hardest part at the start is finding three others. Three ways:
- Club nights and americano. Americano is the padel club night format: partners change after every round and each player collects their own points. You come alone, play with several partners and opponents during the evening, and nobody has to bring three friends. Kahur.ee club nights are on the town pages and on each club's page.
- Beginner lessons. Many venues run beginner lessons where a coach sets your serve, your position and how to play a ball off the wall.
- Open matches. The kahur.ee open matches page lists games that still need players. Check the level and the time.
Your first time on court
- The serve is easy. Bounce the ball behind the service line and hit it at or below waist height diagonally into the opponent's service box. Two tries, as in tennis.
- Let the ball come off the wall. Beginners want to hit the ball before the wall. A ball that bounces off the floor into the back wall comes back towards you and is easier to hit. It is the first lesson of padel.
- Go to the net. Points are won at the net. When your opponents' ball is short, move forward together with your partner.
- Scoring as in tennis. 15, 30, 40, game. A set goes to 6 games, a match is the best of three sets. In americano only the points count.
The full rules are on the official International Padel Federation (FIP) website. The Estonian version is on our padel rules page.
How your level grows
Level matters in padel because four players have to suit each other. At club nights and kahur.ee competitions your level is worked out after every game. A win against stronger players counts for more and a loss to them costs little. An open match shows the level it is looking for.
Questions beginners ask
Is padel easier than tennis? The start is easier: the court is small, the serve is underarm and the walls give the ball back. A good level takes as much work as any other sport.
Do tennis players have an advantage? They have a feel for the ball, but the walls are new. Tennis players hit too hard and too early at first.
What age? Children and grandparents play padel, often in the same game. The pace is slower than in squash.