Racquet sports have long captured the imagination of players and spectators alike, evolving from medieval handball games like Jeu de Paume to modern giants like tennis. Today, two paddle-based sports—padel and pickleball—are surging in popularity, each carving out its own niche in the global sports landscape. Both offer fast-paced rallies, accessible gameplay, and a social vibe, but dig a little deeper, and you’ll find they’re as distinct as they are engaging. If you’ve ever wondered what sets padel apart from pickleball—or what they share—this in-depth guide will break it all down, from their origins to their courts, rules, and more.
A Tale of Two Origins: How Padel and Pickleball Came to Be
Padel and pickleball both sprang from creative moments in the late 1960s, born out of a desire to entertain restless kids. Pickleball kicked off in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, when Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell cobbled together a game using ping-pong paddles, a perforated plastic ball, and a badminton court. What started as a backyard experiment for their families exploded into a phenomenon, spreading across the U.S. and gaining millions of players, especially after a boom during the 2020 pandemic. It’s now often cited as America’s fastest-growing sport, with an estimated 36 million players in 2022 alone.
Padel’s genesis came just a few years later in 1969, in Acapulco, Mexico. Businessman Enrique Corcuera, tired of his daughter smacking tennis balls against his house walls, built her a dedicated enclosed court with a net, blending elements of tennis and squash. His creation caught the eye of a visiting Spanish prince, Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, who brought it back to Spain. There, it took root among the elite, eventually spreading across Europe and Latin America. Today, padel boasts over 25 million players across 90 countries, with a stronghold in Spain and Argentina.
Courts and Spaces: Where the Games Unfold
One of the most striking differences between padel and pickleball lies in their playing arenas. A pickleball court mirrors a badminton court in size—44 feet long and 20 feet wide. It’s a flat, open space, typically played on a hard surface like asphalt or concrete, though indoor options like hardwood exist. A net splits the court, standing 36 inches at the sides and 34 inches in the center. Unique to pickleball is the “non-volley zone,” or “kitchen,” a 7-foot area on each side of the net where players can’t hit volleys out of the air, adding a strategic layer to the game.
Padel courts, by contrast, are larger—65.6 feet long and 32.8 feet wide—roughly a third the size of a tennis court. The net matches pickleball’s height, but the court’s defining feature is its enclosure: glass walls at the ends and along parts of the sides, with mesh fencing filling the gaps. Openings at midcourt allow player access. Often surfaced with artificial turf (though hard courts exist), padel courts let players bounce balls off the walls during play, echoing squash’s dynamic style. This enclosed setup makes padel courts more complex and costly to build compared to pickleball’s simpler, adaptable spaces, which often repurpose tennis courts.
Equipment: Paddles and Balls Tell a Story
Both sports use solid paddles, not strung rackets, but the gear diverges from there. Pickleball paddles are typically 15 to 17 inches long and 7 to 8 inches wide, with a short handle. They’re made from materials like wood, fiberglass, or carbon fiber, with a honeycomb core (often polymer) for weight and feel. The ball is a perforated plastic sphere, similar to a wiffle ball, weighing between 0.78 to 0.94 ounces. Outdoor balls have more, smaller holes for wind resistance, while indoor ones use fewer, larger holes for a softer bounce.
Padel paddles are a bit smaller—capped at 18 inches long, 10.2 inches wide, and 1.5 inches thick—and feature a perforated hitting surface for aerodynamics. They’re also made from fiberglass or carbon fiber, often with a foam or rubber core. The padel ball looks like a tennis ball but packs less pressure, giving it a lower, more controlled bounce suited to the enclosed court. Balls come in “normal” and “speed” versions, with the latter offering a livelier bounce for colder or slower conditions.
Rules and Gameplay: Different Rhythms, Different Strategies
Both sports feature underhand serves to start play, keeping the barrier to entry low compared to tennis’s overhead smash. Beyond that, the rules—and the feel—split sharply.
Pickleball blends tennis, badminton, and ping-pong into a unique mix. Serves are struck underhand, diagonally across the court, and must clear the kitchen. Only the serving team can score, earning a point if the opponent faults (e.g., hitting into the net or out of bounds). Games typically go to 11 points, with a two-point lead required to win. In doubles, scoring gets quirky: the score includes three numbers (e.g., “7-4-2”), reflecting the serving team’s points, the receiving team’s, and which server (first or second) is up. The kitchen rule forces players to let the ball bounce before volleying near the net, encouraging patience and precision over net-charging aggression. Pickleball can be singles or doubles, though doubles dominates due to the court’s cozy size.
Padel leans closer to tennis and squash. It’s played exclusively as doubles on standard courts (though rare singles courts exist), with underhand serves delivered from behind the service line, bouncing once before striking below waist height. Scoring mirrors tennis: 15, 30, 40, game, with sets to six games and a two-game lead. Ties at 6-6 trigger a tiebreak, and matches are best-of-three sets. A “golden point” option at deuce (40-40) lets players win a game outright on the next point, adding clutch drama. The walls are padel’s wildcard—players can bounce shots off them after the ball hits the ground, leading to wild angles and epic rallies. But if the ball hits a wall before bouncing, it’s out, and clearing the walls entirely ends the point.
Athletic Demands: Accessibility Meets Intensity
Pickleball’s smaller court and slower ball make it a low-impact gem. The perforated ball floats more than it zips, so rallies emphasize placement over power. You don’t need elite athleticism to enjoy it—grandparents can face off against grandkids and still keep it competitive. That accessibility has fueled its rise, especially among older players (though the average player age has dropped to 38.1 years as younger crowds join). It’s easier on joints than tennis, with less sprinting and lateral strain, but still sharpens agility, coordination, and cardio.
Padel demands more physicality. Its larger court and faster-moving ball mean you’re covering more ground—think quick sprints, lunges, and lateral dashes. The enclosed walls keep rallies alive longer, so stamina and teamwork are key. While padel’s still beginner-friendly compared to tennis (thanks to the underhand serve and forgiving walls), it’ll work up a sweat faster than pickleball. The average padel player skews younger, around 35, reflecting its higher energy demands and appeal to athletes from tennis or squash.
Cultural Footprints: Where They Thrive
Pickleball’s heart beats strongest in the U.S., where it’s exploded from coast to coast. California, Florida, and Texas lead with the most courts, though Washington—its birthplace—remains a hub. It’s also gaining traction in Canada, Australia, and parts of Europe, but the U.S. dominates with millions playing annually. The sport’s social, inclusive vibe has made it a staple in retirement communities, though younger players are diving in fast.
Padel reigns in Europe and Latin America. Spain is its epicenter—20% of players live there—followed by Argentina, where it boomed in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Portugal, Italy, and Sweden have seen rapid growth, especially post-pandemic, and the Middle East is investing heavily to globalize it. With 25 million players worldwide, padel’s reach outstrips pickleball’s, though its growth has been slower in the U.S. due to the need for specialized courts.
Shared DNA: What Padel and Pickleball Have in Common
Despite their differences, padel and pickleball share some core DNA. Both are paddle sports, using solid-faced paddles rather than strung rackets, which lowers the skill ceiling compared to tennis’s tricky serves. They’re net-based games played in doubles (usually), with a focus on rallies that blend power, spin, and precision. Underhand serves keep things accessible, welcoming beginners who might balk at tennis’s overhead complexity. Both courts are smaller than a tennis court, making them easier to fit into tight spaces and boosting their appeal for clubs and communities. And both thrive on long, exciting rallies—whether it’s pickleball’s kitchen cat-and-mouse or padel’s wall-bouncing chess matches—drawing players who love strategy as much as sweat.
Where They Diverge: A Tale of Two Vibes
The differences, though, are stark. Pickleball’s smaller court and slower ball create a more intimate, tactical game—you’re often dueling up close, especially at the kitchen line. Its scoring system (points only on serves) and unique rules like the non-volley zone set it apart, fostering a deliberate pace where errors cost dearly. It’s singles or doubles, giving players flexibility, and courts are cheap to build or repurpose, fueling its U.S. boom.
Padel’s larger court and walled setup crank up the intensity. The faster ball and wall-play options mean shots come from unpredictable angles, demanding quick reflexes and creative shot-making—think lobs off the back glass or angled smashes off the side. Its tennis-style scoring and doubles-only format (on standard courts) align it closer to traditional racquet sports, while the enclosed courts add a squash-like flair. But those courts are pricier and harder to install, slowing its spread in some regions.
Who’s It For? Matching Players to Sports
Pickleball suits anyone who wants fun without a steep learning curve. If you’re a tennis doubles fan or a retiree looking for low-impact action, its accessibility shines. Singles pickleball can get sweaty for athletic types, but the doubles focus keeps it social—perfect for mixed-age groups or casual meetups. It’s less about raw power and more about finesse and patience.
Padel appeals to those craving a faster, more dynamic game. If you’ve played squash, racquetball, or tennis and love the idea of using walls to outsmart opponents, padel’s your jam. It’s still beginner-friendly but rewards athleticism and teamwork, making it a hit with younger crowds or competitive types who thrive on long rallies and strategic depth.
The Bigger Picture: Growth and Impact
Both sports are riding massive waves. Pickleball’s U.S.-centric rise has turned it into a cultural phenomenon, with pro tours and TV exposure pushing it mainstream. Padel’s global footprint—bolstered by celebrity endorsements and investments—gives it a broader stage, especially in Europe and Latin America. Neither is an Olympic sport yet, but both have federations (the Global Pickleball Federation and the International Padel Federation) eyeing that prize, driving international growth.
Final Thoughts: Two Sports, Endless Fun
Padel and pickleball might share a paddle-sport lineage, but they’re distinct beasts—pickleball with its compact, accessible charm, padel with its high-energy, wall-bouncing flair. Whether you’re drawn to pickleball’s kitchen duels or padel’s glass-wall trick shots, both offer a blend of challenge and joy that’s hard to resist. So grab a paddle, hit the court, and see which one sparks your racquet-sport love—they’re both rewriting the game, one rally at a time.