All 85 padel guides
Every guide on the Hub, grouped by topic. Jump to a topic or search for something specific.
Beginners
Do you need a partner to play padel?
How to play padel without a fixed partner, including socials, Americanos, apps, lessons and practising alone.
Does playing padel ruin your tennis?
Which padel habits can affect your tennis, which skills transfer well, and how to enjoy both sports.
Is padel a team sport?
Why padel is played as a pair, how partners work together and how team competitions work.
Is padel a good date idea?
Why padel works as a date, how to plan one and how to keep it fun for both of you.
Can you play padel with 3 people? Formats that work for odd numbers
The best ways to play padel with three, five or six players, with fair rotations and scoring.
Do you have to be fit to play padel?
Why padel suits every fitness level, and how to start safely if you are not very fit.
Do padel clubs provide rackets and balls?
What UK padel venues usually provide, what you will need to bring and when to buy your own kit.
What is padel tennis?
A clear introduction to padel: the court, the walls, the rackets and why it is Europe's fastest-growing sport.
What is padel tennis?
James answers the question he hears most often, with a quick tour of how padel is played.
How to get started playing padel tennis
Everything you need to go from curious to on court: finding a club, booking, kit and your first game.
How do you play padel for the first time?
What to expect from your first session, from the basic rules to the shots that will help you enjoy it.
Padel tennis for beginners: Tips and tricks to get you started
Practical tips and tricks for new players who want to improve quickly and avoid common mistakes.
Starting out in padel? Here's everything you'll need to get started!
A checklist of the kit and know-how you need before your first visit to a padel club.
The ultimate guide to padel tennis: Rules, equipment, and techniques
The complete overview: rules, equipment and the core techniques, all in one guide.
Is padel tennis easier than traditional tennis?
How the learning curve of padel compares with tennis, and why beginners often rally sooner.
When it comes to playing padel tennis, what are the advantages?
The fitness, social and practical advantages that make padel worth trying.
Why padel tennis is the hottest new racquet sport you should try?
Why so many people are switching to padel, and why you might want to join them.
10 cool facts about padel tennis
Ten surprising facts about the history, growth and quirks of padel.
What is the difference between padel tennis and tennis?
Court, scoring, rackets and serve: the key differences between padel and tennis.
Difference between padel tennis and squash
How padel compares with squash, and what squash players will find familiar.
What is the difference between padel tennis and pickleball?
Padel and pickleball side by side: courts, equipment, rules and who each suits.
Can padel tennis be played on a traditional tennis court?
Whether you can play padel on a tennis court, and what a proper padel court needs.
Rules
Can you lob the serve in padel?
Why a high, lobbed serve is legal in padel, the rules it must follow and when it can work as a tactic.
What happens if the ball hits the net post in padel?
The net post rules in padel for rallies, serves and players touching the post.
What happens if the ball hits the roof in padel?
How padel rules treat balls that hit the roof, lights or beams on indoor courts.
What happens if the ball gets stuck in the fence in padel?
The rules for balls that get stuck in the mesh, go through a hole or lodge on top of the wall.
Can you hit the ball with the frame of your racket in padel?
Why frame shots count in padel, and the racket, hand and double hit rules around them.
Can you hit the ball before it bounces in padel? Volley rules explained
When you can volley in padel, the one ball you must let bounce, and where your volley has to land.
Can you jump when serving in padel?
Why jump serves are not allowed in padel, and the foot rules every server needs to know.
Is there a second serve in padel?
How the two-serve rule works in padel, what counts as a fault and how lets are replayed.
Can you throw your racket at the ball in padel?
Why throwing your racket loses the point, plus the rules on dropped rackets and the wrist cord.
Can you pass the ball to your partner in padel?
Why only one partner can hit each ball in padel, the racket-clash exception, and who should take the middle.
What happens if the ball hits you in padel?
Who wins the point when the ball hits a player, on the serve and during a rally.
Padel tennis rules
Five rules every beginner needs to know before stepping on court, based on LTA guidance.
Can you hit the glass first in padel?
When the ball can and cannot touch the glass, explained with the rules that matter.
Can you double hit in padel tennis?
Why double hits are not allowed in padel, and the one situation that confuses players.
Can you play singles padel?
Padel is built for doubles, but singles is possible. Here is how it works and where to play it.
Do you serve hip or waist in padel?
The serving height rule explained, plus how to use hip and waist serves tactically.
Which padel tennis terms are essential for you to be familiar with?
The padel vocabulary you will hear on court, explained in plain English.
What is no man's land in padel tennis?
The mid-court zone where points are lost, and how to stay out of it.
Is it padel tennis or paddle tennis?
Padel or paddle? Why the spelling matters and how the two sports differ.
Technique
What grip should you use for a kick smash in padel?
The best grip for the kick smash, how to adjust it for more spin and the mistakes that cost you power.
How tightly should you grip a padel racket?
How much grip pressure to use in padel, when to squeeze harder and how a relaxed grip protects your arm.
How fast does a padel ball go? Smash speeds explained
Measured smash speeds in padel, how they compare with other racket sports, and what makes the ball faster or slower.
What is the bajada shot and how to play it in padel tennis?
The attacking shot played after the ball comes off the back wall, broken down step by step.
How to play the chiquita in padel and when to use it
How to play the soft, low chiquita at your opponents' feet, and when it works best.
What is wrist pronation in padel tennis and how do I play it?
How wrist pronation turns a flat smash into one that kicks up and stays in.
Padel tennis wrist pronation and what is the best way to use it?
Getting the most from pronation on your smash, with practical tips to try.
After I take service in padel, where is best to move
Where to move after you serve, so you and your partner take control of the net.
Should I try using the Australian formation in padel tennis?
What the Australian formation is, why the pros use it and when to try it yourself.
The importance of footwork in padel tennis: Techniques and drills
Footwork techniques and drills that make every shot easier.
Padel tennis warm up routine to help you play better padel
A simple warm-up routine to help you play better and reduce the risk of injury.
How can I practice padel alone?
Drills and routines to improve your padel when you do not have a partner.
Kit
What are the rules for padel balls?
The official size, weight, bounce and colour rules for padel balls, and what they mean for your games.
How many padel rackets should you own?
When one racket is enough, when to add a second, and why your spare should match your main racket.
How to choose the best padel racket for a beginner
Step-by-step advice on shape, weight and balance when buying your first racket.
Light vs heavy padel tennis racket, what is best?
How racket weight affects power, control and comfort, and which suits you.
When should I change my padel tennis racket?
The signs your racket is past its best and when to replace it.
What are the best padel tennis shoes?
Why padel needs its own shoes, and what to look for in grip and support.
What is the difference between a padel tennis ball and a tennis ball?
How padel balls differ from tennis balls in pressure, bounce and feel.
Are padel balls fuzzy like tennis balls?
What padel balls are made of and how they compare with tennis balls.
Padel in the UK
How long does a padel court take to dry after rain?
How quickly outdoor padel courts dry after rain, how to test the surface, and when to wait.
Is padel a fad, or is it here to stay?
The growth figures behind padel in Britain, the warning from Sweden, and why the sport looks set to last.
Are there any padel courts in UK?
Where to find padel courts around the UK and how to book them.
What are the best padel tennis courts in London?
A guide to some of the best places to play padel in London.
How much does a game of padel cost?
What you can expect to pay for court hire, coaching and kit.
How popular is padel in UK?
How fast padel is growing in the UK, and what is driving it.
Is padel played in the UK?
Where padel is played across the UK and how the scene is developing.
Is padel tennis about to become big in the UK?
Why padel looked set to take off in the UK, and the signs it was happening.
In Dubai, why is padel tennis such a popular sport?
Why padel has become one of Dubai's favourite sports.
Padel tennis is the world's fastest growing sport
The numbers behind padel's rapid growth around the world.
What is the prize money of the World Padel Tour?
How much professional padel players earn on the World Padel Tour.
Why is padel not an Olympic sport?
What stands between padel and the Olympic Games.
Is padel tennis classified officially as a sport yet?
Whether padel is officially recognised as a sport, and by whom.
How did padel tennis become a thing?
A brief history of padel, from Acapulco in 1969 to courts worldwide.
The evolution of padel tennis: From its origins to the present day
How padel evolved from its origins to the sport played today.
Health
Is padel good for your core?
How padel trains the abdominal, oblique and lower back muscles, and simple ways to build core strength for the court.
Is padel low impact?
How hard padel is on your joints compared with other sports, and how to keep it gentle on knees, ankles and elbows.
Should you play padel before or after the gym?
How to order padel and gym sessions, what to avoid on the same day and a simple weekly plan.
Is padel more dangerous than tennis?
What the research says about padel injuries, how the risks differ from tennis and how to stay safe.
Is padel good for your VO2 max?
What heart rate research shows about padel, how it can support your VO2 max and how to get more from each session.
5 health benefits of playing padel tennis
Five ways padel is good for your fitness and wellbeing.
The best way to avoid padel tennis elbow
How to prevent and treat tennis elbow, including rackets that can help.
The most common padel tennis injuries and how to prevent them
The injuries padel players get most often, and how to avoid them.
The social and community benefits of playing padel tennis
Why padel is one of the most sociable sports you can play.