Find a Padel Court: Padel is played on a specially designed court, which is one-third the size of a tennis court. Look for a padel court in your area to play the game.
- Gather Equipment
You will need a padel racket, also known as a bat, which is solid with no strings and has a shorter handle compared to a tennis racket. Padel rackets come in various shapes, grip lengths, thickness, and weight. Choose a racket suitable for your playing style. Padel clubs often have spare rackets available for beginners to borrow.
- Learn the Rules
Familiarize yourself with the rules of padel. It is scored similarly to tennis doubles, with two players on each side of the net. The game starts with an underhand service from the right-hand service court, and the ball must bounce once before hitting it below waist level.
- Master the Shots
Padel requires nifty wrist action rather than the deep swings of tennis shots. The short handle of the racket allows for better control over the ball. Practice playing the ball off the glass walls, which can be used strategically. All players can play the ball off any of the walls on their own side of the court except for the wire mesh, which is out of bounds.
- Learn the Grips
There are two key grips to master in padel. The continental grip is used by both beginners and professional players, while the eastern forehand grip requires more practice. Proper grip allows better control over the shots.
- Understand the Ball
Padel balls have less pressure compared to tennis balls, making them less bouncy. This is important due to the smaller dimensions of the padel court. Practice controlling the bounce off the glass walls.
- Play Doubles
Padel is played in a doubles format, with two players on each side of the net. Communication and coordination with your partner are essential to play effectively. One player covers one side of the court, while the other covers the net. Decide when to attack and when to defend based on your strategy.
- Scoring
Padel matches are scored similarly to doubles tennis matches. The scoring follows the sequence of 15-30-40, and then the team wins the game. If the game reaches 40-40, it is called deuce, and further points are played until one team wins two points in a row. The first team to win six games wins the set, and if the score is tied at 6-6, a tiebreak is played. The match is typically played as the best out of three sets.
