Racket sports involving paddles get confusing for the common folk. With the rise of pickleball, it’s easy to hear about other racket sports involving a paddle and think, “how is this paddle sport that looks like tennis different from all the others?” Two of these sports that no doubt trigger these this question are padel vs paddle tennis. They are in fact two different sports. But how are they different? Let’s look into the differences between padel vs paddle tennis. how they are similar , and where they come from.
What is Padel?
Padel is a racket sport that was invented in Mexico in the late 1960s and has since become popular in Latin America and Spain. that is played within an enclosed space. Padel takes elements of Tennis, Racquetball, & Squash, and combines them into a unique racket sport that is played with both a net in the middle and walls that can be used along the back end of each side of the court.
The main characteristic of padel is the walled court its played on. A padel court is two sided with a net in the middle similar to a tennis or pickleball court. In terms of size, it is larger than a pickleball court and smaller than a regular tennis court, and has walls that surround the boundaries of the court which players can legally play the ball off of similar to squash or racquetball. The paddles used in padel are usually made of plastic, thicker than pickleball, and contain holes. The ball is similar to a tennis ball, and can even be substituted for a tennis ball.
The sport has been growing in popularity, especially lately after slowly made its way to America. In 1993 the US Padel Association was formed in Chattanooga, TN. Nowadays, different places to play padel are becoming more available.
What is Paddle Tennis?
Paddle tennis, also known more recently as pop tennis, is a sport that was invented in the early 1900s by an Episcopal Minister in New York City. The goal of this minister, Frank Peer Beal, was to create a version of tennis played by children in his community. Shrinking the court and replacing the rackets with cheaper wooden paddles and deflated rubber ball made it more conducive to kids. Thus, paddle tennis was born!
Today, Paddle tennis is played on a 50 feet long x 20 feet wide court that resembles a tennis court but on a smaller scale. The rules are almost identical to tennis. The court size is much smaller than padel, and does not feature walls that you can play the ball off of. The modern-day version of the game features a slightly deflated tennis ball as opposed to the rubber ball orginally used.
The sport is often mistaken for platform tennis, but it is platform tennis and paddle tennis are two different sports. Players of any racket sport such as tennis, pickleball or padel would likely would pick up the sport rather easily.
Padel vs Paddle Tennis – Similarities
Although this article focuses on the differences between both sports, on the whole, there are more similarities than differences. They are both racket sports that feature a paddle and have a net that divides play between two opponents (or teams if you are playing doubles). Both sports can be played outdoors or indoors, although padel is played indoors more often than pop tennis. Additionally, although the size of both courts differ, they share similarly painted lines that look similar to a tennis court. Both padel and paddle tennis also follow the same scoring system as tennis. Both sports also have pretty much the same serving rules as well.
Padel vs Paddle Tennis – how are they different?
Although they sound like the same sport, there are a few key differences between paddle tennis and padel. Here are the main differences:
Padel courts vs Paddle Tennis Courts – Padel is played on a court that is not only larger in size, but also features walls that you can play the padel ball off of. This is the key feature of the game that distinguishes it from other racket sports which are played across a net. Paddle tennis on the other hand, is played on a much smaller court that is slightly larger than a pickleball court, measuring 20 feet wide by 50 feet long. Padel courts are 20 meters long ( 32.8 feet) by 10 meter wide ( 65.6 feet).
Racquets used (aka Paddles) – the paddles used in padel are specifically made for the sport of padel. They are usually made of either carbon fiber or graphite. A padel racket’s head is shaped like an upside-down egg, and. The maximum length of the head and handle cannot exceed 18 inches, the maximum width 10.2 inches, and a maximum thickness of 1.5 inches.
Paddle tennis rackets on the other hand have more of round shaped head. They are made usually with a carbon fiber or fiberglass surface and, have a memory foam core, and a maximum length of 18.5 inches, a frame thickness of 38 mm, and the paddle face should not exceed 10 inches in width. The paddle must have holes and a round/oval face, with a grit or texture on the surface, but no changes can be made once approved by the manufacturer. Additionally, there should be no strings on the striking area.
The ball – Paddle tennis uses a tennis ball that is depressurized to 50-75% of a tennis ball’s pressure. Padel balls on the other hand are a rubber sphere with a uniform surface, weighing between 56 to 59.5 grams. It should have a diameter greater than 6.35 cm and less than 6.77 cm, with a bounce between 135 and 147 cm.
Are platform tennis and paddle tennis the same?
Paddle tennis and platform tennis are not the same sport. American platform tennis is played on a raised platform with a slightly smaller court. Platform tennis was originally created on a raised, heated platform to melt the snow and allow the inventors to play a smaller-scale version of tennis in the winter.
Conclusion
Although padel and paddle tennis may appear similar to the untrained eye, they are in fact two different sports with unique characteristics. Padel originated in Mexico and is played within an enclosed space with walls that surround the boundaries of the court. Paddle tennis, on the other hand, was invented in the early 1900s by an Episcopal Minister in New York City and is played on a smaller court that does not feature walls. Both sports share similarities, such as the use of paddles and nets, but differ in court size, racquets used, and the type of ball. Padel and paddle tennis are growing in popularity, with more places to play these sports becoming available. Regardless of which sports one chooses, both offer an exciting and challenging way to exercise and enjoy the outdoors.