Pickleball v Padel - what are the differences?
Pickleball and Padel are similar racket sports, but they have several key differences. Pickleball is a slower-paced, control-oriented sport played with solid paddles and a perforated plastic ball on a smaller court, originating from the United States. Padel, on the other hand, is a faster-paced, power-oriented game played with solid paddles and a tennis ball on a larger court, with roots in Mexico and Spain
pickleball ballThe table below compares each of the main differences between pickleball and padel.
| Pickleball | Padel | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | United States | Mexico/Spain |
| Court Size | A standard pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long (6.1m x 13.4m). This is the same size as badminton court, and smaller court compared to Padel. | 10m by 20m (32' 10" by 65' 7") |
| Court Surface | Hard court surface | Artificial turf or hard court surface |
| Court Boundary | no enclosure | The court is enclosed on all sides by walls |
| Racket | Solid paddle made of wood or composite material | The padel racket’s surface is perforated, can be made of various materials. |
| Ball | Perforated plastic ball | A lower pressure tennis ball |
| Net | Mesh net, 36 inches (0.914 meters) high, the net is 2 inches higher than for Padel. | Mesh net, 34 inches (0.865 meters) high. |
| Scoring System | Pickleball is played to 11 points, and you must win by 2 points. You can only win points when it is your serve. | scored exactly the same as tennis format 15/0, 30/0, 40/0, deuce, advantage, etc. |
| Serving | Underhand serve. | Underhand serve. |
| Gameplay | Slower-paced, more control-oriented | Faster-paced, more power-oriented |
| Ball Speed | Slower ball speed | Faster ball speed |
| Strategy | Placement, precision shots | Strategy involves both placement and power |
| Popularity | Growing rapidly worldwide | Very popular in Spain and expanding globally |
Related Pages
- Pickleball v Tennis - what are the differences?
- About Padel Tennis
- Pickleball Basic Rules
- Energy Expenditure of Pickleball
- Pickleball Equipment
- Pickleball Main Page
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