FAQ

Padel is generally played in doubles on an enclosed court that is around 25% smaller than a tennis court. While having a central net and the same court markings, the main differences are that the court has walls along the back and sides and that balls can be played on them (rather than outside in tennis) in the same way as squash. A padel ball resembles the feel and appearance of a standard tennis ball, but has a lower internal pressure, which means it's slightly smaller in diameter and a little less "bouncy" bouncy. The rackets used for padel are solid, stringless rackets, unlike tennis, which uses stringed rackets.

A padel ball resembles the feel and appearance of a standard tennis ball, but has a lower internal pressure, which means it's slightly smaller in diameter and a little less "bouncy" bouncy. For this reason, you should use padel balls and not standard tennis balls.

Today, 19% of French people know about padel, 11 points more than in 2018, the beginnings of exponential growth? Almost all of France is now equipped with padel courts, but some regions are still far from their full potential. Once the health crisis has passed, padel should be able to continue its meteoric rise. Padel is a sport enjoyed by many world-famous professional athletes. From Neymar to Ibrahimović, Marc Gasol to Valentin Porte, numerous team sports stars have succumbed to this particularly addictive sport. Not to mention all the tennismen who delight in the little racket!

Points are counted in the same way as in tennis: "15" when a pair wins a point, "30" when they win a second point in the game, "40" for winning a third point.
Depending on the competition, national or international, the "decisive point" rule may - or may not - be applied at 40 all. Play is spooned, with 2 service attempts (first and second ball). With the exception of service and return of service, a ball may be volleyed. The ball is allowed only one bounce on the floor. In the rally, after a ground bounce, the ball may touch any other surface except the floor of its own court. Thus, door handles, fences and walls are all part of the court. The second rebound on the ground results in the loss of the point. The ball may be retaken outside the court if, and only if, a second ground bounce has not occurred. A point is won if, after a rebound in the opponent's court, the ball returns to the opponent's court without having been touched by an opponent.

Once the ball is in play, all balls passing the net must first bounce on the floor of the opponent's court before touching a wall. After bouncing off a wall, players can hit the ball back into the opponent's court. Of course, as in tennis, the ball can only bounce once into your camp, and it can only be hit once.

Padel is a fun sport. It combines the strengths of all the other racket sports. The racket has no strings and is easy to handle. The rules are very similar to those of tennis. The glass walls always bring the ball back to the player, facilitating the development of exchanges. The trajectories and bounces of the balls on the structures offer a unique playing sensation. Padel is played exclusively in doubles (2 vs. 2) on a synthetic turf court that is smaller than that used for tennis. The proximity of the players facilitates exchanges during matches and brings a friendly atmosphere to the court. The social aspect is an integral part of the game. Padel is a real team sport, where understanding and communication between partners are paramount! It's an entertaining, intergenerational sport in which grandparents, parents and grandchildren can all play together and have fun!

There are single padel courts 20 m long x 6 m wide, but they are rare to see. In theory, you can play singles on a doubles court, but it's not recommended or common. Standard padel courts are designed for doubles and cover half your side of each player, allowing good-length exchanges and not requiring excessive stretching of the players. Unlike standard tennis, which allows the use of inside lines, a padel court cannot be adjusted as this would require bringing the walls closer together, leaving the same surface as a doubles court.

Yes, but only if the ball crosses the net and rebounds to the ground on your opponent's side before touching the glass (back or side) or the grille. If the ball is returned over the net and then touches your opponent's glass/grill before hitting the ground, the point is lost. As a player, you can hit the glass at any time without losing the point!

Players can hit the ball after it has bounced off a wall to send it back into the opposing camp. Of course, as in tennis, the ball can only bounce once into your court, and it can only be hit once.

The serve is spooned, with 2 service attempts (first and second ball). The server first bounces the ball (behind his own service line), then hits it below the belt. The server is behind the service line. The ball must bounce into the opposite service box before being hit by the receiver. If the ball does not bounce into the service box, it is a fault. After crossing the net, any ball that first touches a surface other than the ground is a fault for the server. If the ball bounces back into the court and touches the net before crossing the service line (on the receiver's side), it is also a fault. If the ball hits the net and bounces back into the court, it's a let. If it hits the net before the second bounce, it's a fault.

The way you hold your padel racket, also known as the grip, is essential to optimize your game. Here are the steps to holding your padel racket properly:

Place your dominant hand on the racket: If you're right-handed, your right hand will be your dominant hand, and vice versa for left-handed players. Hold the racket firmly with your dominant hand.

Position your hand on the handle: The most common grip in padel is the "continental" grip. To do this, place the palm of your dominant hand on the back of the racquet handle. Your thumb should be on top of the handle and your forefinger slightly tilted upwards along the edge of the handle.

Adjust your hand position: Make sure your grip is firm but not too tight. You should be able to move your wrist and fingers freely to perform the various strokes.

Adjust the position of your other hand: If you use a double grip (less common but sometimes preferred for certain shots), your non-dominant hand is positioned on the side of the racket, generally just below your dominant hand.

Keep a comfortable posture: Make sure your arms are relaxed and your shoulders are slack. Adopt a comfortable, balanced posture so you're ready to react quickly to your opponent's blows.

Practice regularly: Racquet grip is a skill that improves with practice. Practice regularly to strengthen your grip and find the one that suits you best for your playing style.

By holding your padel racket correctly, you can better control your shots and improve your overall game on the court. Feel free to adjust your grip according to your personal preferences and specific needs during play.

In padel, the serve is one of the most important phases of the game. Here's how to serve in padel:

Starting position: Before serving, make sure you're behind the service line (called the baseline) and in the service box. You should always serve diagonally from the right on your side of the court to the opposite diagonal on your opponent's side of the court.

Choice of side: Before serving, decide which side of the court to aim for. You can serve to the right or to the left of the opposite court.

Throwing the ball: Hold the padel ball in one hand and use the other hand to throw the ball slightly above your head. Be sure to throw the ball at a height that will allow you to hit it comfortably and effectively.

Striking the ball: Use your paddle (paddle racket) to strike the ball as it comes back down after being thrown. The strike must be made in the direction of the opposite court, respecting the diagonal rules.

Ball contact: Try to make clean contact with the ball, using the central surface of your paddle for better control and accuracy.

Respecting the rules: Make sure you respect the rules of service, in particular by not crossing the service line before hitting the ball, by avoiding starting your service movement before the ball has dropped after the throw, and by always serving diagonally.

Rehearse: After serving, be ready to react quickly to your opponent's response and position yourself strategically for the rest of the rally.
By following these steps and practicing regularly, you can improve your padel serve technique.

A padel player's earnings vary considerably depending on a number of factors, including level of competition, world ranking, tournament performance, sponsorship contracts and partnership agreements.

Top-level professional padel players can win significant prize money at prestigious tournaments, just as in other sports. Professional padel tournaments can offer prize money ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands of euros for the winners, depending on the importance of the tournament and the level of competition.

In addition, padel players can also benefit from additional income through sponsorship contracts with equipment brands, partnerships with padel clubs, demonstrations and clinics, as well as other opportunities linked to their notoriety in the sport.

However, it's important to note that most professional padel players don't earn as much as professional athletes in more established, high-profile sports. The growing popularity of padel may lead to increased income opportunities for professional players in the future, but for now, earnings may be more modest compared to other sports.

Here are a few practical tips to help you progress in padel:

Take lessons with a qualified instructor: Receiving advice from a professional can help you quickly improve your technique, strategy and understanding of the game.

Practice regularly: As with any sport, practice is essential to progress. Try to play as often as possible, whether in organized training sessions or simply with friends.

Work on the basics: Concentrate on the fundamental aspects of the game, such as serving, returning serve, volleying, smashing, moving around the court and so on. A solid grasp of these basic elements is essential to progress.

Analyze your matches: Review your recorded matches if possible, or analyze them mentally afterwards. Identify your strengths and weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

Work on your fitness: Padel requires a high level of fitness, particularly in terms of agility, speed, strength and endurance. Train regularly to improve these aspects of your fitness.

Play with higher-level partners: Playing with players stronger than you can be a great way to progress quickly, as it will challenge you to improve to compete with them.

Be patient and persevering: Progress in padel tennis takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself and don't get discouraged when you encounter difficulties. Keep working and practicing, and progress will come with time.

By following these tips and remaining determined to improve, you'll be able to progress and achieve your padel goals.

In padel, scoring is fairly straightforward and generally follows the following rules:

Points are counted in the same way as in tennis, using the terms "15", "30", "40" and "game".

The first player or pair to reach 40 wins the game, but must then win an extra point to win the game. If the score is 40-40, it's called a "tie" (or "40A" or "40 all").

After a tie, the next point won gives the advantage to one of the teams. If the team with the advantage wins the next point, it wins the game. If they lose, the score returns to a tie.

If the game is tied at 40-40 and one of the teams wins two consecutive points, it wins the game.

Games are counted in the standard way until one team reaches the predetermined number of games to win the set (usually 6 games), with a difference of two games. If the score is tied at 6-6, a tie-break can be used to decide the set winner.

Sets are then played until one team wins a predetermined number of sets to win the match (usually 2 or 3 sets, depending on the match or tournament format).

These padel scoring rules are general and may vary slightly depending on the specific rules of the tournament or organization. It's always a good idea to check the specific rules in force for the tournament or match you're taking part in.

It's difficult to be precise about the number of members. The FFT offers a "multi-racket" license, encompassing padel, tennis, beach tennis and jeu de paume, with 1.1 million members. However, the number of players is estimated at "over 400,000" in 2023. In 2018, the figure was 80,000, rising to 200,000 by 2021, reflecting significant growth in the sport.

Padel-specific licenses, reserved for competition participants, are held by around 40,000 people.

Padel originated in Mexico. It was invented in Acapulco in the 1960s by Enrique Corcuera, a wealthy Mexican businessman, who designed the first padel court on his property. The sport then gained popularity in Latin America, notably Argentina and Spain, before spreading to the rest of the world. Today, padel is played in many countries around the world and is growing rapidly in popularity.

Padel was invented by Enrique Corcuera, a wealthy Mexican businessman, in the 1960s. Corcuera created the first padel court on his property in Acapulco, Mexico. He conceived the sport by combining elements of tennis, squash and badminton to create a game that would be both fun and accessible to a wide range of players. Padel quickly became popular in Latin America, particularly Argentina and Spain, before spreading to the rest of the world.

Technically, you can play padel with tennis balls, but it's strongly recommended that you use padel balls specially designed for the sport. Padel balls are slightly different from tennis balls in terms of weight, internal pressure and bounce. Padel balls are designed to have a slightly lower bounce than tennis balls, which is better suited to the game of padel.

Using tennis balls to play padel can have a few drawbacks:

Inappropriate bounce: Tennis balls tend to bounce too high on the padel court, which can make the game difficult to control.
Risk of injury: Tennis balls are heavier and can cause more damage if hit with force, increasing the risk of injury to players.

Durability: Tennis balls can wear out more quickly on a padel court due to the rough surface and lateral movements of the game.

In short, it's best to use padel balls specially designed for the sport, to get the best possible playing experience and reduce the risk of injury.

Padel has been gaining in popularity in France over the last few decades, but its introduction in the country is more recent than in other countries where it is more established, such as Spain or Argentina.

The development of padel in France has been gradual, with a significant increase in the number of courts and players in recent years. The first padel courts were built in France in the 1990s, but the sport really took off in the 2000s and beyond.

Since then, padel has grown steadily in France, with more and more clubs, tournaments and players across the country. The French Tennis Federation (FFT) has also played an important role in promoting padel in France, integrating the sport into its programs and organizing official events.

Although padel is still relatively new in France compared to other countries, it is constantly expanding and becoming more and more popular, attracting a growing number of players of all levels and ages.