Padel vs Tennis – How Are They Different?

Rae Oliver
Mar 4
4 min read

The battle of padel vs tennis is heating up, especially in South Africa. Tennis has long been a classic, but padel is quickly becoming the sport of choice for players looking for a fun, social, and strategic game.

While both share a scoring system, padel vs tennis comes down to key differences in court size, rackets, and gameplay. Padel is easier to pick up, while tennis demands more speed and power.

So, padel or tennis—what’s the right sport for you? Let’s break it down.

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Balls
Courts
Shoes
Rackets
Difficulty

Feature	Padel	Tennis
Court Size	Smaller and enclosed	Bigger and open
Rackets	Solid rackets for control	Strung rackets for power
Balls	Less pressure, lower bounce	Higher pressure, more bounce
Shoes	Extra grip for artificial turf	Built for hard courts
Difficulty	Easier to learn, more social	Takes more technique and endurance

Same Same But Different

Padel and tennis are both racket sports. They both use the same scoring system, but they feel completely different on the court.

Tennis is all about power, speed, and long rallies across a big open court. Padel is a faster, more strategic game played in an enclosed court where you can use the walls to your advantage.

Padel is easier to learn, making it great for beginners, while tennis takes more time to master. If you love fast-paced action with lots of movement, tennis is your game. If you prefer a social, strategic, and slightly less intense sport, padel is the way to go.

Padel vs Tennis Balls

At first glance, padel vs tennis balls look pretty much the same. But don’t be fooled—there’s a key difference that affects how each game is played.

Padel balls are slightly smaller and have less pressure, which makes them bounce lower and slower. This helps keep the rallies going and makes padel more about strategy and placement than raw power.

Tennis balls, on the other hand, have more pressure, bounce higher, and move faster. This suits the bigger court and harder shots in tennis.

Can you use tennis balls for padel? Technically, yes—but it’s not ideal. The extra bounce changes the game and makes it harder to control your shots. If you’re playing padel, stick to the right ball for the best experience.

Padel vs Tennis Courts

One of the biggest differences in padel vs tennis is the court itself—from size and design to the surface you play on.

A tennis court is big, open, and has no walls. It’s designed for powerful serves, long rallies, and lots of running. Tennis courts can have different surfaces—hard (cement or acrylic), clay, or grass—each affecting ball speed and bounce.

A padel court is smaller, enclosed with glass walls, and built for fast-paced, strategic play. The walls keep the ball in play longer, making rallies more intense. Most padel courts have a synthetic turf surface with sand, which provides better grip and controlled sliding.

Court Size – Which Is Bigger?

A tennis court is bigger than a padel court. In fact, you can fit two padel courts side by side across the width of a doubles tennis court.

A tennis court for doubles is 23.77m long and 10.97m wide—a huge open space that requires speed, power, and endurance to cover. Once the ball goes out, the point is over.

A padel court is 20m long and 10m wide, but it’s enclosed with glass walls, keeping the ball in play longer. The smaller space means less running but more strategy, quick reactions, and teamwork.

Padel vs Tennis Shoes

Shoes matter in padel vs tennis—big time. While they look similar, they’re built for different surfaces and movement.

Tennis shoes are made for hard courts, with a flat sole for stability and quick side-to-side movement. Padel shoes have extra grip and a herringbone pattern to handle artificial turf and fast turns.

Can you wear tennis shoes for padel? Sure—but you’ll slip more. Want better control? Get the right shoes.

Padel vs Tennis Racket – What’s the Difference?

In both padel and tennis, the racket makes a huge difference.

Tennis rackets have strings and are built for powerful shots, spin, and precision. They’re larger and require more technique to control.

Padel rackets are solid with holes—no strings! They’re smaller, lighter, and easier to handle, making them great for quick reflex shots and control.

Can you use a tennis racket for padel? Nope! The game is designed around the unique padel racket—and trust us, once you try it, you’ll feel the difference.

Is Padel or Tennis More Difficult?

When it comes to padel vs tennis difficulty, padel is the easier sport to pick up. The smaller court, slower ball, and use of walls make rallies longer and more forgiving. It’s less about power and more about placement and teamwork.

Tennis, on the other hand, has a steeper learning curve. It requires strong technique, fast footwork, and powerful shots. The bigger court also means more running and endurance.