Padel is a racket sport played in doubles on an enclosed court about a third the size of a tennis court. It borrows scoring from tennis and the walls from squash, and it's famously easy to start and hard to put down.
The court
A padel court is 20 by 10 metres, split by a net, and enclosed by glass or solid walls with mesh fencing. The ball can be played off the walls after it bounces — that's what makes padel feel different from tennis.
The basics
- It's almost always played doubles, two against two.
- The serve is underarm, bounced first and hit below the waist, diagonally into the opponents' service box.
- The ball must bounce once in the opponents' half before it touches a wall — then it can be played off the walls.
- Scoring is tennis scoring: 15, 30, 40, game; six games win a set; most matches are best of three sets.
Why people love it
Rallies are long even for beginners, the walls give you a second chance, and doubles makes every match social. That mix is why padel clubs are appearing across Pakistan.
Start playing
Find an open match at your level, or book a court with friends, in the RAQET app.
