What Is Padel? A Beginner's Guide

If you've heard the word "padel" floating around lately and aren't quite sure what it is, you're not alone. It's one of the fastest-growing racquet sports in the world, and it's finally landing in Seattle.

The Short Version

Padel (pronounced "PAH-del") is a racquet sport played in doubles, on an enclosed court about a quarter smaller than a tennis court, with glass or mesh walls that keep the ball in play. Think tennis, squash, and a really good time, all rolled into one.

How It's Played

• Always doubles. Two against two, every time.
• Solid rackets, no strings. Smaller and easier to control than a tennis racquet.
• Underhand serve. No big overhead serves to worry about.
• Walls are part of the game. The ball can bounce off the back and side walls and stay in play, which means longer rallies and more strategy, less brute force.
• Scored like tennis. 15, 30, 40, game. If you already know tennis scoring, you're halfway there.

Why People Love It

It's easy to pick up. Most first-timers are rallying comfortably within their first 20 minutes, no years of lessons required before it's fun.

It's social by nature. Because it's always doubles, padel is built around playing with people, not just against them. It's as much a reason to see your friends as it is a workout.

It rewards smarts over power. The walls level the playing field. A well-placed shot beats a hard-hit one more often than not, which means players of very different fitness levels can have a genuinely competitive, fun game together.

Who's Playing?

Padel has exploded across Europe and Latin America for years, and it's now the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., with tennis and pickleball players in particular picking it up fast, since so much of the footwork and doubles instinct carries over directly.

Padel in Seattle

Seattle has one of the deepest racquet-sport communities in the country, but until now, there's been nowhere to actually play padel here. That's changing, and Emerald Padel Club is building a club designed around exactly what makes padel great: social first, skill-building second, every level welcome.