What is the difference between tennis and padel?

It's only natural that people quickly connect padel and tennis. The two sports share several similarities: consider, for example, the scoring system and the fact that both tennis and padel are played with rackets and balls on two halves separated by a net. However, there are some significant differences between traditional tennis and padel, which has become increasingly popular in recent years. But what exactly is the difference between tennis and padel? Sjeng Sports aims to answer that question as best as possible in this article, so you'll soon know exactly what the differences are between tennis and padel.

Essential differences between the two sports

To give you a clear answer to the question "what's the difference between tennis and padel?", we'd like to first point out some of the most essential differences. The distinction between the two sports begins with the serve. In tennis, you serve by first throwing the ball into the air and then hitting it overhand into the service box. In padel, on the other hand, you let the ball bounce in front of you and must also hit the serve underhand. When you hit the ball during the serve, it shouldn't be higher than your navel.

Looking at the differences in the game itself, the glass walls surrounding the padel court are naturally striking. These are missing around the tennis court: a crucial difference. While you can still return the ball in padel after it bounces off the glass wall, this isn't the case in tennis. If the ball lands on the court and you can't reach it, it goes out of court, and the opponent wins the point. Conclusion: never give up too quickly in padel, because the chances are high that you'll be able to return the ball somehow!

Differences between padel and tennis: the rackets

If you compare a tennis racket and a padel racket, you'll quickly notice a significant difference between them. A tennis racket is typically much longer than a padel racket, and when you look at the racket heads, you can distinguish between the stringed head of a tennis racket and the fiberglass, carbon, or Kevlar head of a padel racket. Furthermore, the head of a padel racket is significantly larger and rounder than that of a tennis racket. Why? The pace of play in padel is often higher, and the playing field is much smaller.

Tennis balls or padel balls?

It's a question often asked: are padel balls the same as tennis balls? It makes sense, because the balls look very similar at first glance. However, we can assure you that it's better to play tennis with tennis balls, and better to play padel with padel balls. This depends on several factors.

• Filling the balls

The pressure in tennis balls is considerably higher than that in padel balls. This higher pressure makes tennis balls travel faster and bounce higher than padel balls, which have lower pressure. Padel balls are also gas-filled. This means they feel a bit softer, but also don't stay hard for as long. If you feel your padel balls getting softer, we recommend buying new ones soon.

• Size of the balls

A padel ball, with a diameter of between 6.35 and 6.77 centimeters, is slightly smaller in size than a tennis ball, which has a diameter of between 6.54 and 6.86 centimeters.

Is there a difference between padel and tennis shoes?

As we mentioned about the balls, there's not much difference in appearance between padel shoes and tennis shoes. Do you normally play a lot of tennis and occasionally play padel? Then you could, in principle, play perfectly fine in your tennis shoes. However, do you spend a lot of hours a week on the padel court? Then it might be wise to buy shoes specifically designed for padel. Why? It has to do with grip and support, which are even more essential for padel than for tennis.

We now know that a padel court is much smaller than a tennis court. The game moves a bit faster, so you need to be more agile on the court. Making sharp turns and quick accelerations is important in this game, so it's helpful to wear slightly more flexible padel shoes, especially to prevent ankle injuries. Furthermore, the good grip of padel shoes prevents slipping. This better grip comes from the fact that the grooves in the sole of a padel shoe are often slightly deeper than those of a tennis shoe. This is also important, because a padel court is typically covered with more sand than a tennis court.

Need tennis or padel clothing? Shop now at Sjeng Sports!

Now that you've answered the question "What's the difference between padel and tennis?", would you like to try one or both sports? Then it's obviously important to wear the right sportswear. At Sjeng Sports, you've come to the right place for all kinds of tennis or padel clothing , for both men and women . Don't wait any longer, order your favorite clothing and show off your talent on the padel and/or tennis court!