The history of padel: from one Acapulco garden to 35 million players
Padel began in 1969 with a Mexican businessman who didn't have room for a tennis court. How a garden improvisation conquered Spain, Argentina and, half a century later, Britain.
Basics
8 storiesNew to padel? Start here. Everything about how the sport works — the rules, the scoring, the walls, and what to expect from your first sessions on court.
Padel scoring explained: golden point, tie-breaks and why 40-40 is the whole game
How padel scoring works — tennis points, sets and tie-breaks — plus the golden point rule: where it came from, how the pros play it, and the tactics for winning it.
Is padel a good workout? What the science actually says
Padel feels more like a night out than a gym session — so does it count as exercise? Heart rate data, calories, the muscles it works and where it falls short.
Padel court dimensions: every measurement explained
How big is a padel court? The official 20m × 10m dimensions, wall heights, net measurements and service lines explained — plus how it all compares with a tennis court.
Why is padel so popular? The real reasons behind the boom
A million British players, courts that sell out at 7am, celebrities queueing to invest. What actually made padel the fastest-growing sport in the UK — and can it last?
Padel vs pickleball: what actually is the difference?
Enclosed glass court or taped-out badminton court? Foam racket or plastic wiffle ball? The two booming racket sports compared — rules, courts, costs and which to try.
How to play padel: rules, scoring and your first match
Everything a beginner needs for their first padel match — the underarm serve, how the walls work, tennis-style scoring and where to stand.
What is padel? The fastest-growing sport in the world, explained
Glass walls, underarm serves and doubles-only play — how padel works, where it came from, and why everyone you know is suddenly playing it.