Paddle: How to Play, Equipment and Rules

The paddle Tennis is a sport that is becoming increasingly popular and loved by many tennis enthusiasts.

In this article we will talk about every aspect of paddle tennis, from its origins to the rules of the game, from the necessary equipment to the advice to play at its best.

We will also compare paddle tennis with traditional tennis so that you understand the differences and advantages of each discipline

Paddle Tennis: history

In 1898 the pop tennis (or paddle tennis) was invented by Episcopal minister Frank Peter Beal in Albion, Michigan.

With its development by Beal, this sport has spread to Lower Manhattan to create recreational activities for local children. In 1915, Beal obtained the city's Park and Recreation Department to place fields in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village.

The first tournament was held in 1922 and the following year, the United States Paddle Tennis Association (USPTA) was founded. By 1941, paddle tennis was being played in nearly 500 American cities.

Although Frank Peer Beal is known as the inventor of the game, Murray Geller, a gamer in the 1940s and 1950s, played a pivotal role in creating the modern game. Elected chairman of the USPTA rules committee, he wanted to make the game more appealing to adults and introduced features such as an enlarged court and bottom-handed serve.

Scott Freedman has won 19 times the Men's World Singles Paddle Tennis Championships, 16 times the Men's World Doubles Championships and 14 times the World Mixed Doubles Championships. He wrote a book called Paddle Tennis and Tennis: Anyone Can Play.

If you want to know sport similar to tennis, you can read our guide.

Paddle match

The pop tennis, formerly known as paddle tennis, is a racket game adapted from tennis and played for over a century. Unlike tennis, the field is smaller and does not have lanes for doubles, and the net is lower. Pop tennis is played with a solid paddle rather than a braided racket, and a depressurized tennis ball is used.

The the same field is used for both singles and doubles, with doubles being the dominant form of play. The smallest size of the field puts a strong focus and edge on net play and creates a fast-paced, reaction-based game. The game is gaining reputation and has spread to Dubai and Egypt where local leagues and leagues are organized frequently.

The pop tennis courts are built with same materials as the tennis courts, or they can be placed on the hard sand of the beaches. The court measures 15.24 meters from backline to backline and 6.09 meters wide, with the service line 0.91m from the backline. This creates a service box of 3.04×6.70m.

The net is positioned at a height of 0.78 m. On the right side, a retaining line is drawn 3.66m back parallel to the fence. While in use, all players must maintain both feet behind the restraint line until the player receiving the serve has hit the ball. All the rules of padel are similar to tennis. Second serves in pop tennis must also be rebounded at least once to the other side of the opponent.

If you want to discover all differences between padel and paddle, and find it here.

Padel or Paddle?

The paddle tennis and the padel they are both very similar racket sports, derived from tennis and played all over the world. However, there are some significant differences between the two.

Firstly, paddle tennis is played on a smaller court than tennis and the net is lower while padel is played on a court about half the size of a tennis court and has side fences. These fences, or banks, can be used by players to hit the ball, making the game faster and more responsive.

Furthermore, in padel there is a home run only if the balls go out of the fence (which is quite common). This makes the game more intense and challenging, as the ball can be hit in any direction and anywhere on the pitch.

Finally, paddle tennis is played in both singles and doubles, while padel is played exclusively in doubles (there is the padel 1 vs 1 but it is not recognized). This makes padel a more social game, as you play in pairs and interact more with your teammate.

In summary, paddle tennis and padel are very similar sports, but some fundamental differences such as the size of the field, the presence of the banks and the game mode (singles vs doubles) make both games unique and fascinating to play and watch.

If you want to know how to play padel, the best rackets or the clothing to do it, you can read our guides.

Conclusions

Both paddle tennis and padel are fun sports that offer challenges and enjoyment to their players. In Italy, padel is much more popular than paddle tennis and this is due to several factors such as the availability of playgrounds, the interest of the people and the promotion of sport.

However, this does not mean that padel is a better sport than paddle tennis, just that it has found an easier path to success. In the end, the choice between paddle tennis and the padel depends on the personal tastes and preferences of each individual player.