What is Padel?

Padel is a unique sport that combines the best elements of tennis, racquetball, and squash while eliminating the frustrating aspects of those three sports. As a result Padel is an exciting, enjoyable, competitive, social, entertaining to watch, and fun to play sport.

Who plays Padel?

Padel can be played by everyone. People of all ages, sex, and/or physical condition play Padel. Padel is played in about 30 countries and was played in the 1995 Pan-American Games as an exhibition sport. Some notable players of Padel are soccer hero Maradona, tennis star Gabriela Sabatini, tennis idol Guillermo Villas who has numerous Padel courts in his tennis academy, as well as Cesc Fabregas, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal!

How do you play Padel?

Padel is played by four players in teams of two. The scoring is the same as in tennis. Play begins when the serving team serves the ball underhanded into the service box of the receiving team. After the return the ball can be volleyed, smashed or ground stroked. After the ball is struck it must travel over the net and hit the court surface. Once the ball hits the court surface players can opt to let the ball bounce against back walls, sidewalls, or the side wire fence and then play it back across the net. The players have two chances to hit the ball, one before the ball reaches the walls/fences and one after the ball bounces off the walls/fences surrounding the Padel court.

What does the padel court look like?

Padel is played on a court approximately 66 by 33 feet (20 m x 10 m). The court has backwalls and partial sidewalls made of stucco concrete that enable the Padel ball to bounce off them. Most court walls are now made of glass and/or a blindex material that enables optimum viewing of the court from all surrounding areas. The remaining court is enclosed by metal screens and/or fencing, but there are no ceilings. The playing court surface varies; everything from hard courts to artificial grass. Padel is played on indoor and outdoor courts.

What does a padel racquet and a padel ball look like?

A padel racquet is approximately 18 inches in length with a maximum hitting surface of 9.5 by 11 inches. The hitting surface is smooth and contains numerous holes.

The Padel ball is a pressurized tennis ball. All Padel models and the official ball of Padel must be approved by the Padel Federation of Ireland.

Why play Padel?

• Fun to play!
• Inexpensive!

Should kids play Padel?

Yes, because:

• Padel promotes teamwork
• Padel promotes hand-eye coordination
• Padel is easy to learn

Other advantages to playing Padel:

• Padel is a marvellous way to gain physical fitness and anyone regardless of their physical shape can play.
• Padel appeals to a wide population.
• Padel is a cross-generational game, meaning grandparents can play with their grandkids and play competitively.
• Padel is an entertaining sport to watch.
• The points last longer than in tennis and racquetball.
• Padel is a family game. Men, women, and youth can compete together without physical strength being the sole determinate of the winner.
• The hits per hour are three to four times more than in tennis.
• The smaller court brings everyone closer, making social conversation a much more integral part of the game. This makes Padel a more social game than tennis, racquetball, and squash.

Is Padel hard to play?

No, not at all. On the contrary, it is easy to play because of the following:

• The learning curve is high, meaning it is easy to pick up a Padel and learn how to play relatively quickly.
• The serve is not an offensive weapon because it is delivered underhanded. The matches are not dominated by 120+ mph serves that end the point immediately, as in tennis and racquetball.
• Padel is "levelled" because powerful serves and slams are not the "put-away" points as they are in racquetball and tennis.
• There are two chances to hit the ball: one before the ball reaches the walls or wire fences, and another after the ball hits the court surface and then bounces off the walls and wire fences.
• Since the Padel is close to the hand, it helps control the ball better.

Is it expensive to play Padel?

It's actually very inexpensive. The essentials to playing Padel are a court, a padel racquet and padel balls. Padel bats and padel balls are not expensive and a padel court costs less and requires less land than a tennis court.

What is the history of Padel?

Enrique Corcuera of Mexico is credited with the invention of Padel in 1968, where it captured the hearts of many sports minded Mexicans. The sport next moved to Europe, via Spain, where it has enjoyed a steady growth. In 1974 the sport arrived on the shores of Argentina. By the late 1980s 3.5 million people were playing Padel in Argentina. Currently there are 4.5 million players in Argentina and Padel has become a multimillion dollar industry.

What countries play padel?

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Paraguay, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, The United States, Uruguay, Finland, United Arab Emirates, the UK, and Ireland... and the list keeps growing!

Is there a professional padel tour?

Yes, there are currently three: Spain, Argentina and Mexico.

The top touring professionals can make up to a six figure income a year through endorsements and prize money.

Are there amateur tournaments and rankings?

Yes, there are sanctioned tournaments for all ages and all skill levels. Each player receives a year end ranking from their respective Padel association or federation.

Is there a governing body nationally and internationally for Padel?

Yes, nationally the Padel Federation of Ireland, a non-profit organisation, has been formed to help promote the sport of Padel to all interested individuals and parties. The rules of Padel, established by the Padel Federation of Ireland  has followed the strict guidelines established by the International Padel Federation (F.I.P.). The F.I.P. oversees the international competitions between the member countries.

How do I become a member of the Padel Federation of Ireland?

To become a member of Padel Federation of Ireland call our office on 086 3221403 or email info@padelfederation.ie  and tell them: "I WANT MY PADEL! "

How popular is Padel?

According to the recent figures, Argentina has as many as 25,000 courts and up to 4.5 million players who play the game out of a population of 33 million. Spain is currently leading the world in Padel growth economically. Men and women from all socioeconomic backgrounds, and ages have flocked to the sport. Padel has now spread to about 30 countries worldwide.

Is there coaching available for Padel?

Padel courses have been established to qualify people to teach the game and to set standards for coaching. For information on how to become a certified padel coach, call 083-4200911 or email us at info@padelfederation.ie

What kind of market is there for Padel sports equipment?

As early as 1989, the sport had exploded into a multimillion dollar industry generating vast amounts of revenue. Today there are many padel manufacturers for courts and equipment.

What kind of Professional competition is there for Padel?

The sport has a professional tour now it its second decade, with top-ranked players earning up to a six figure income in prize money and endorsements from clothing, automobiles, insurance, chocolate and Padel companies.

What about Padel and sponsors in Europe?

The sport is rapidly-becoming the hottest ticket in Europe. Spokesmen say that multi-international companies have really enjoyed participation and have seen benefits from the exposure of their products to Padel fans. Other European countries playing padel include: Great Britain, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Brazil, Switzerland, Sweden and Portugal.

Are there any famous sports figures who play Padel?

Tennis idol Guillermo Villas has built numerous Padel courts at his tennis academy in Argentina Soccer hero Maradona and tennis champion Gabriela Sabatini have also tried their hand at the game. Rafael Nadal is also a fan of padel and plays regularly as well as many others. Finally, Padel is becoming more widely recognised and played throughout the world. In September of 1992 the first World Championships of Padel was held in Brazil. Every two years 16 plus countries come together in different host countries to compete for World Rankings. In Argentina Padel has become second only to soccer in popularity. We believe that Padel is here to stay and that it has the potential and the right ingredients to vie for a place in the Irish sports industry.

How and why did this game become a sports phenomenon?

Analysts of the Padel industry say the sport has exploded for the following reasons:

1. First of all, the sport is FUN! It is extremely enjoyable to play and entertaining to watch. The points last longer and the ball moves more slowly than in tennis or racquetball. The serve is not an offensive weapon, but is delivered underhand. In other words, the game is not dominated by 120-mph serves that end the point immediately, as in tennis and racquetball. The rallies are exciting because they involve a whirlwind of activity. For players, the sport is a marvelous way to exercise and improve fitness. Almost anyone, regardless of physical condition, can play.
2. Economies of scale have brought the cost of building Padel courts down. Tennis and fitness clubs that built Padel courts have been able to generate revenues and turn them into profit centres for club owners. Padel Clubs, with an average of three courts each, have sprung up all over the cities of Latin America and Europe. People employed in these cities make heavy use of Padel courts during their lunch hours and at the end of the work day as a way to avoid rush-hour traffic.
3. The sport is easier to learn and play than other racquet sports. The learning curve is high, meaning it is easy to pick up a Padel and learn how to play relatively quickly. Padel players have two chances to hit the ball, one before the ball reaches the walls or wire fences and another after it bounces off them. As a result there are three times the number of hits per hour in Padel versus tennis.The sport has a very successful financial track record and should not be considered a fad. One thing that has remained constant is the number of new players that continue to be drawn to the sport. The Argentine Padel Association has witnessed steady growth in the number of new members over the years.

Finally, Padel is becoming more widely recognised and played throughout the world. In September of 1992 the first World Championships of Padel was held in Brazil. Every two years 16 plus countries come together in different host countries to compete for World Rankings.

In Argentina Padel has become second only to soccer in popularity. We believe that Padel is here to stay and that it has the potential and the right ingredients to vie for a place in the Irish sports industry.