padel is a sport that is gaining momentum in today's world, with fields that sprout like mushrooms even in the most remote villages but, many people, still do not have clear the difference with other sports, especially when it comes to padel and beach tennis racket.
For this reason I decided to do this article, in order to clarify once and for all what changes in practical terms.
Even if the padel and beach tennis rackets can look very similar, the difference is substantial and now we will discover it together.
Differences between Padel and Beach Tennis
The main difference between padel and beach tennis certainly does not lie in the racket, but in the surface on which the match is played.
How easy it is to understand from the name, the beach tennis is a sport that is played on the beach in the sand, while padel is played on concrete or other materials capable of guaranteeing the correct bounce of the ball ball.
In addition to this somewhat obvious difference, it should be added that in padel the ball can bounce once on the ground and even several times on the side walls, guaranteeing truly unique tactical solutions.
In the beach tennis, on the other hand, this option does not exist, being that the rebound on the ground is not possible and involves the immediate point for the opponent.
To this it should be added that, since there are no side walls, the padel rules are not applicable.
Even the field sizes are completely different, with the padel one that is slightly larger even in the face of a slower and more reasoned game.
Beach tennis, on the other hand, is a sport that does not allow or admits truce, with the ball splashing from one side to the other without any possibility of breathing.
For this reason the length of the field is less than 4 meters compared to the padel, a necessary choice for the enjoyment of the game.
The width of the sandy rectangle also drops a little, passing from 10 meters of the padel to only 8 of the beach.
Finally it must be considered the difference of the net, which remains in a position similar to tennis for the padel but is positioned at 1.7 meters from the ground in the beach.
These are the main differences between the two sports in terms of the pitch, but they continue and go even deeper when it comes to equipment.
If you want to know how to choose a padel racket, i beginner models and the characteristics of the same, you can read these articles.
Difference between Padel ball and Beach Tennis
Obviously, in addition to the court and racket, the difference between padel and tennis also lies in the ball with which this sport is practiced.
Although at first glance they may seem practically identical when you look at them from the outside, the substance is very different and you understand it as soon as you take them in your hand.
To begin the beach ball must be lighter than about 20%, which greatly affects the speed and force with which the shots will come out of the racket.
Secondly, since it must be suitable for bouncing, the padel one needs a rubber core that allows it to do so.
Basically, going to see them and trying them on the field, you can easily realize how much the beach ball is much slower and completely not suitable for the padel.
Vice versa, if you tried to play on the beach with a ball born for the field it would be too fast a game that would be impossible to keep up with.
This is the main difference between beach tennis balls and padel, but the racket was also created with a completely different logic.
Difference between Padel Racket and Beach Tennis
Finally, we come to define what is the difference between the padel racquet and the beach tennis one, the main tool of these games.
The first substantial divergence comes from looking at rules for the handle, which are very strict in the padel while almost absent for the beach.
In the padel the handle must have a maximum length of 20 centimeters and a width of no more than 5 centimeters.
In the beach the rules only say that the racket cannot measure more than 50 com total in length, with the hitting surface that can occupy a maximum of 30.
This makes it clear immediately how much the handle is important in padel but almost irrelevant in beach play, resulting in significant structural differences.
Secondly the general striking surface, in addition to remaining within 30 centimeters, in the beach it must not exceed 26 in width and can reach a maximum thickness of 38 millimeters which must be kept constant throughout the head.
In the padel the racket has no head length limit, which can reach various sizes depending on whether you prefer the power or the control.
For the rest the width and thickness remain within the same limits, for this reason when you look at them very often they appear similar.
The circular holes present, however, must undergo some more stringent measures in the beach, but without ever creating real upheavals.
Lastly, beach rackets tend to be more rigid, to compensate for the slower speed of the ball and to favor the aggressive game typical of the beach.
The padel ones, on the other hand, tend to be much more elastic since the ball is fast and precise and reasoned play is a constant reality rather than a simple option.
If you are looking for a padel racket, check out this one selection of best padel rackets available today.
To know in detail the padel rules, the shots of the bandeja, the it vibrates or how to do a service, you can read these articles.
Conclusions
Now you know the difference between beach tennis and padel both at the racket level that also in every other aspect of these two fantastic sports.
If you are someone who is lucky enough to have a beach close to home and loves fast-paced sports, then the beach tennis is for you.
If you don't have the luxury of the sea or simply you prefer something slightly more tactical, then you were born for the padel.
I hope I have helped you to clear away any doubts about it and have clarified your ideas on which sport is right for you.
Share the article with friends and family, I'm sure they too will be interested in discovering these differences!
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