In recent years, racket sports such as pickleball, paddle tennis, and padel have gained popularity. The three sports appear to be similar on the surface. You can then determine which one is most appropriate for you and your family once you understand the differences between padel vs pickleball vs paddle tennis. You may enjoy reading Is Pickleball an Olympic Sport?
Check out our comparison of these sports to find out more!
Pickleball vs. Paddle Tennis vs. Padel vs Paddleball
| Pickleball | Paddle Tennis | Padel | Paddleball | |
| Court size & design | The net is 22 feet long by 40 feet wide, just like badminton | Approximately 50 feet (15.24 meters) wide by 20 feet (0.6 meters) long | It measures 32 feet 10 inches (10 meters) wide by 54 feet 7 inches (20 meters) long, with a net enclosing it | An outdoor court measuring 20 feet by 34 feet with a single wall
Court with four walls, 40 feet by 20 feet, enclosed |
| Scoring | In a game played to 11 points, only the serving team can earn points must win by 2 points | Similar to tennis | Similar to tennis | With two games, a match is won by the serving team when they earn 21 points |
| Ball | Plastic ball of small size | Tennis ball pressurized | Designed for padel, similar to tennis balls | Paddleball and racquetball are both official games |
| Paddle | Paddle made of solid wood, graphite, or polymer | There may be perforations in graphite or polymer | solid, perforated, graphite, thinner paddle | Graphite, polymer, solid |
| Difficulty | Tennis, squash, and racquetball are easier to learn | similar to tennis | similar to tennis | Easy – one wall
A four-wall game similar to racquetball |
What is Pickleball?
Tennis, badminton, and ping-pong are all elements of play in pickleball. The game is played on an outdoor and indoor pickleball court with an adjustable tennis net and a badminton-sized pit. Despite its name, pickleball is played with plastic balls with holes, a pickleball paddle, and court shoes. Anyone can play, regardless of their skill level or age, whether it’s double or single.
You may enjoy reading How to Choose a Pickleball Paddle
Pickleball history
Developed on Bainbridge Island, Washington, in 1965 by Joel Pritchard and friends, pickleball first appeared in 1968. To make it possible for Pritchard to play in his backyard, it was created.
In the United States and Canada, pickleball has developed from its simpler origins-largely homemade equipment and simple rules-into a popular sport. More courts are being built in countries like Europe and Asia as well, making the game more popular.
The USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) regulates and promotes pickleball in America.
You may enjoy reading Pickleball Kitchen Rules
What is Paddle Tennis [POP Tennis]?
With a twist on traditional paddle tennis, Pop Tennis is a new kind of sport. As in Tennis, players use the same rules and scoring as Pop Tennis, but they get one underhanded serve instead of two. The game uses shorter courts, racquets without strings, and tennis balls with lower compression (green dots for adults, orange dots for kids).
On classic 50-foot courts as well as 60-foot courts, the game can be played all year round, indoors or outdoors, by all ages.
Paddle Tennis History [Pop Tennis]
Invented by a minister in lower Manhattan named Frank Peer Beal in 1915, the game became popular in the 1920s. As a means of providing recreational activity for children in the neighborhood, he had Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village’s parks and recreation department build courts.
It had been staged in 500 cities in America by 1941. This is not a sport of racquets, such as Platform Tennis.
What is Padel?
Tennis and squash are combined in Padel (or Padel tennis). Having fun, taking action, and socializing is the best part of this racket sport. Because this game is more about strategy than brute strength, it’s perfect for players of all ages and abilities.
Play is done on an enclosed court made of mesh and glass, about one third as large as a tennis court. Since it is easy to play, it is suitable for a broad range of skill levels, which makes it perfect for families.
History of Padel
From 1969 to 1995, Acapulco, a Mexican beach resort, was the home of padel, sometimes known as padel tennis. A wealthy businessman named Enrique Corcuera founded Padel in order to install tennis courts without having enough space for them. Consequently, he built a court where less powerful strokes could be played.
Mexico became one of the most popular countries for the game, and it has since spread to the United States, Europe, Canada, South America, and Asia. With the creation of the International Federation of Padel in 1992, the official rules of padel were established.
Sports equipment for paddle tennis, pickleball, and padel
To play Pickleball, what do you need?
Pickleball paddles are larger than tennis racquets but smaller than ping-pong paddles, and as such are smaller than tennis racquets. Initially, pickleball paddles were made of wood, but have now mostly been made from lightweight composite materials like aluminum and graphite.
Players will also require pickleball and a net. This ball is unique due to its holes. The ball comes in several types, and you can play indoors or outdoors. Can you tell the difference between wiffle balls and pickleball? Wiffle balls are lighter than pickleball.
Paddle Tennis Equipment [Pop Tennis]
Racquets are often referred to as paddles in this sport. Carbon fiber, fiberglass, or another material is used as the core. The striking area is drilled and there are no strings. Once POP pads have been approved and received by the manufacturer they cannot be modified once they have been coated with grit or texture.
In comparison to a standard tennis ball, this ball has a 75% higher internal pressure than the official ball. For children’s POP (50%) and beginners who prefer a slower pace, a “Orange Dot” ball (50%) can be used.
Padel equipment to get started
The racquet of choice for playing padel is made of glass fiber or carbon fiber with a foam core. There are several types of padel racquets, each with its own unique properties on the court.
The padel balls you need to play padel should have less pressure than a standard tennis ball. A game requires three balls to be used simultaneously.
Pickleball Court vs Paddle Tennis Court: Different dimensions
Pickleball: There are two pickleball courts, one measuring 20 x 44 feet and the other identical to a doubles badminton court. Pickleball can be played as a singles game or as a doubles game on the same court. On the sidelines and in the middle, the net height is 36 inches. The “kitchen” zone, 7 feet in front of the net (in addition to the right and left service courts), prohibits volleys. Tennis or badminton courts can be converted to pickleball courts or built specifically for pickleball.
Paddle Tennis: Unlike a tennis court, paddle tennis courts are smaller. Singles courts at Pop Tennis measure 60 feet x 21 feet and doubles courts are 60 feet x 27 feet. Paddle tennis (original) takes place on a court measuring 50 feet by 20 feet. There are more than 30,000 POP Tennis courts in the United States alone.
Padel: Pickleball and paddle tennis courts are square, but pédala courts are rectangular, 32 feet 8 inches wide, and 65 feet 7 inches long, which is longer than pickleball and paddle tennis courts. Solid walls surround courts (at least on the sides, but not all the way around). By dividing the playing field with a net with a height of 34,6 in. (88 cm) in the center and 36 in. (92 cm) on either side, the playing field is divided into two halves. The surface of the playing field should be completely smooth.
An additional line in the middle will divide the central rectangle in half, along with the service lines located three meters in front of the back wall. Service lines should be clearly visible and have a 5 cm width.
What are the differences in gameplay? [padel vs pickleball]
Pickleball and paddle tennis are often confused, but there is a good reason for that. They are both played similarly.
Racquets are commonly used in similar sports. In these sports, paddles are used. You may assume pickleball and paddle tennis are the same if you don’t understand the differences.
The main difference with padel is that it is played inside an enclosed area that has four walls surrounding it. There is also a larger court that you would find in pickleball or paddle tennis. Longer rallies are possible as a result.
Serving style
Padel, pickleball, and paddle tennis all differ in this respect.
In pickleball, It is quite strict when it comes to serving rules. A player is only allowed to serve once. Underhanded serving is not allowed. Players are also strictly prohibited from touching their balls in the no-volley zone when serving.
From the net point, the no-volley zone extends backward.
Paddle tennis, Generally, though, they are more accommodating. Likewise, players have only one serving opportunity but can choose how to serve. By maximizing their serving style, they can maximize their chances of success.
The serving rules in padel are relatively strict. Two chances are given to a player to serve, but they must serve underhanded and below the waistline.
Game scoring
Pickleball: Played typically to 11 points, pickleball requires a winning margin of 2. Pickleball doesn’t use a deuce (or tiebreaker game); it uses a pickle-off to determine the first player or team to reach 7 points, with the winner remaining with two pickles – thus scoring 1 point – in their pickle-pail. You can also read a guide on how to score in pickleball by clicking here.
Paddle tennis: You need to win by at least two points if you play paddle tennis to 7 or 11 points. Unlike other sports, there is no deuce (tiebreaker game); rather, padel uses a padel point, which determines who becomes the winner if they reach 3 points first and have 1 point left – thus scoring the padel point.
Padel: Padel has the exact same scoring as tennis, this includes tiebreaker games and deuce games. In any match, the first player or team to win six games reaches the setpoint, and that player or team wins the match after reaching two sets. At least two points must be scored in both games and tiebreaks.
Fitness requirements relative to each other
Pickleball: Pickleball has been found to have a relatively low impact. Pickleball players typically have a heart rate between 120 and 150 beats per minute.
Paddle tennis: According to research, paddle tennis players normally have heart rates of 120-140 beats per minute.
Padel: It has been demonstrated that paddle tennis and pickleball are less physically demanding than Padel. Pickleball players typically have a heart rate between 130 and 160 beats per minute.
You may enjoy reading How Many Calories Do You Burn Playing Pickleball?
Platform Tennis – what is it?
Platform Tennis versus Paddle Tennis: what’s the difference? No. The sport of paddle tennis was originally called platform tennis, when it became a sport in 1928.
Since the tennis courts were raised up on platforms after the game was legitimized, it was called Platform Tennis as there were no tennis courts – unlike traditional tennis and other racquet sports.
In most regions of the world, platform tennis is played in cool or cold weather, although it has become an all-year-round activity in some areas.
Padel and paddle tennis are the same?
It is not the same as paddle tennis, which is a different sport. Padel is sometimes referred to as padel tennis.
Is pickleball possible on a paddle tennis or padel court?
The sport of pickleball is played on courts designed specifically for pickleball.
Final Thoughts
So, what’s the verdict? Pickleball vs. Paddle Tennis? In our opinion, both sports are great and have their own unique benefits. If you’re looking for a more social experience with friends, pickleball is definitely the way to go. But if you want more of a challenge and enjoy playing competitively, paddle tennis might be a better fit for you. Whichever sport you choose, we hope you have as much fun playing it as we do!
