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Racket Sports
Fast-paced, reactive, and packed with strategy - racket sports like padel and squash offer a thrilling alternative to tennis.
- Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports globally, blending elements of tennis and squash on an enclosed court.
- Squash brings a deep history and a fiercely competitive international scene.
- Tennis remains more popular globally, but padel and squash are growing thanks to fast rallies, shorter formats, and increased visibility.
Padel
This easy guide to padel explains what it is, how to play, and how it compares to other racket sports like tennis and pickleball.
What Is Padel?
Played on a walled court in pairs, padel combines the skills of tennis with the strategy of squash.
- Padel was invented in Mexico in the 1960s by Enrique Corcuera and has grown rapidly across Europe and Latin America.
- Matches are played with shorter rackets, low-compression balls, and underhand serves.
- Scored like tennis, it's fast-growing both at a grassroots and professional padel level.
- For Olympic inclusion, padel needs broader global reach and more recognised federations.
How To Play Padel
Padel scoring follows the same structure as tennis:
- Each match is played as the best of three sets.
- A player wins a set by winning six games, but must lead by at least two games.
- Game points go from 15 to 30 to 40, then game - players must lead by two points to win.
- If the game goes to deuce (40-40), players must win two consecutive points to close the game.
Padel Rules
Padel is a fast, strategic game with its own unique rules.
| Rule | |
|---|---|
| Padel Serve Rules |
Serve must be underarm, below waist height, and hit diagonally.
Players have two serves (first and second, like in tennis).
Serve must land in the opposite service box without hitting the side
fence first.
|
| Match Format & Padel Court |
Padel is mostly played in doubles; singles uses a narrower court.
Lines matter only during the serve; walls are in play after that.
|
| Padel Ball Rules & Scoring |
Ball can rebound off glass walls after bouncing and still be played.
Rally ends if the ball hits the fence before bouncing, bounces twice, or
hits a player.
Scoring follows the tennis system: 15, 30, 40, game.
|
Padel Equipment
Get to know the essential gear that shapes the padel experience:
| Info | |
|---|---|
| Padel Court | Standard size is 20m x 10m, enclosed by glass walls and metal fencing. |
| Padel Racket |
Short-handled, no strings, made of foam, fibreglass, or carbon fibre.
Racket shapes:
- Round - control-focused, beginner-friendly
- Teardrop - balanced mix of control and power
- Diamond - power-oriented, for advanced players
- Weight range: typically 340-390g
|
| Padel Ball | Similar in size to a tennis ball but less pressurised and slightly smaller, leading to slower bounces and longer rallies. |
Can You Play Padel Singles
Yes, padel singles can be played, although it's far less common.
- The padel single court is a narrower 20m x 6m court.
- The rules and scoring remain the same as the standard doubles format.
Pickleball Vs Padel
While both are small-court racket sports, they differ in setup and equipment:
- A padel court is enclosed with walls that are part of play, unlike pickleball.
- Padel has small service boxes near the net; pickleball has a 7-foot no-volley zone called the "kitchen".
- Pickleball uses a perforated plastic ball and rectangular paddle, while padel uses foam-core rackets and pressurised balls.
Padel Vs Tennis
Though padel borrows its scoring and some techniques from tennis, the differences are significant:
- A padel court is much smaller and enclosed by walls used in play.
- Padel is mainly played in doubles with underarm serves.
- It uses a more compact racket and a ball with less bounce, making the game more strategic and reactive.
Squash
This simple guide to squash covers how the game works, how to play, and how it compares to other racket sports like tennis and racquetball.
How to Play Squash
The squash sport is a fast-moving indoor game played in an enclosed court by two (or four) players.
- Players alternate hitting a squash ball off a front wall within clearly marked boundaries.
- Born in 19th-century England, squash has developed into a globally recognised sport.
- Today, professional squash includes international rankings, global tournaments, and elite-level competition.
- Squash Olympic status has now been confirmed - squash will debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Squash Court
A squash court is a four-walled space with clearly marked lines and zones:
- Includes a front wall, side walls, and a back wall, with boundary lines that must not be crossed.
- Service boxes are marked on the floor; players must serve from within them.
- If the ball hits outside these lines or touches the ceiling, it's out.
Game of Squash Rules
| Info | |
|---|---|
| Match Format | Matches are played as best-of-five games. |
| Objective | Players aim to hit the ball off the front wall within court boundaries so the opponent can't return it. |
| Gameplay Basics |
Each rally begins with a serve.
Key terms:
- Let - rally is replayed (e.g. obstruction)
- Out - ball is out-of-bounds or a serve fault.
|
| Squash Court Rules |
- The court is enclosed with four walls.
- The ball must hit the front wall on every shot, and stay below the out
lines and above the tin (bottom boundary).
- Ceiling shots are out.
|
| Key Skills | Success relies on precision, footwork, and anticipation to dominate rallies. |
Squash Scoring
Squash uses the point-a-rally scoring system:
- Each rally scores a point, regardless of who served.
- Games are played to 11 points, but if the score reaches 10-10, a player must win by two clear points.
Squash Equipment
| Info | |
|---|---|
| Squash Racket | Lightweight (110-170g), up to 68.6 cm long, with a narrow head. Made from graphite or composites. |
| Squash Ball |
- Small rubber ball with low bounce.
- Types vary by speed:
- Double yellow (pro)
- Single yellow (intermediate)
- Red/blue (beginner). Must be warmed up.
|
Squash Game Vs Racquetball
| Squash | Racquetball | |
|---|---|---|
| Ball | Smaller, softer ball | Larger, bouncier ball |
| Racket | Thinner, longer racket | Shorter, wider racket |
| Racquetball vs Squash Court | Narrower court; ceiling is out | Larger court; ceiling is in play |
| Playing Style | Technical, controlled rallies | Faster, more power-focused rallies |
| Ceiling Rules | Ceiling shots are out | Ceiling shots are allowed |
Squash vs Tennis
| Squash | Tennis | |
|---|---|---|
| Playing Environment | Played in a small indoor four-walled court | Played on an open court (clay, grass, or hard) |
| Racket | Shorter and lighter | Longer and heavier |
| Playing Style | Emphasises control and stamina | Focuses on power, spin, and long-distance movement |
| Popularity | Niche but elite competitive scene | Broad global exposure and major international tournaments |
Can You Play Squash Alone?
Yes, squash is ideal for solo play.
- Practising alone can help improve footwork, timing, precision, and court awareness.
- Solo squash is also excellent for developing fitness and mastering difficult shot techniques.
Where to Watch Racket Sports
You can watch padel and squash live and on demand for free on Eurovision Sport, including international tournaments and replays.