Switching from Tennis to Padel
Also known as: tennis to padel, padel for tennis players, tennis player playing padel, transitioning from tennis to padel, padel vs tennis differences, playing padel like tennis, how is padel different from tennis, what's different about padel
Tennis players adapt to padel quickly, but a few habits need to change. Serve underarm after a bounce, let balls come off the glass instead of rushing them, and keep your swing compact. Win points by holding the net and lobbing well, not by hitting harder.
Padel is mostly played as doubles on a 20 by 10 meter court enclosed by walls and metal mesh. The serve is underarm. You bounce the ball behind the service line and hit it at or below waist height. Once the ball has bounced on your side, it may come off the walls and still be played. Scoring follows tennis, with deuce settled by advantage, the Star Point or the Golden Point.
Several tennis habits cost points. Hard, deep drives bounce off the opponents' back glass and come back to them as easy balls. Hitting before the ball comes off your own glass rushes the shot. Many coaches teach letting it rebound and playing it as it comes out. Smashing every lob from deep often gives away the net. A bandeja or víbora keeps your position. A full tennis backswing is too slow for fast volleys at the net.
Your volleys, footwork and reading of the ball all transfer. The lob matters far more than in tennis. It is the main way to push a net pair back. The racket has no strings, a perforated face and a shorter frame than a tennis racket. Many coaches teach a continental grip and compact strokes. The racket's safety cord must be worn around the wrist.
Tips by skill level
Let the ball pass you and come off the back glass, then step forward and hit it. Practice this in slow rallies before you play points.
Use your tennis volleys to hold the net and add the lob as a weapon. Pair it with a bandeja to keep the net once you win it.
Example
A tennis player tries to drive a deep ball before it reaches the back glass and nets it. On the next rally he steps back, lets it rebound and lobs over the net pair to take the net.
Why it matters
Tennis gives you a head start, but tennis habits can stall your progress in padel. Changing a few of them early makes the walls and the lob work for you.
Common mistakes
- Hitting before the ball comes off the back glass
- Swinging with a full tennis backswing at the net
- Smashing every lob instead of using the bandeja or víbora
- Hitting hard, deep drives that rebound off the opponents' glass
Frequently asked questions
I play tennis, what's different about padel?
Padel is mostly doubles in a walled court. You serve underarm after a bounce, and balls can be played off the walls after they bounce. The lob and net position win more points than power.
Do tennis skills transfer to padel?
Yes. Volleys, footwork and reading the ball transfer well. The parts to change are the big swing, rushing the ball before it comes off the glass and trying to hit through the opponents.
Can I serve overhand in padel?
No. You bounce the ball behind the service line and hit it at or below waist height, with at least one foot on the ground.
Sources
Related terms
- Wall PlayWall play means using the enclosure — letting a ball come off the back or side panel and playing it afterwards — which keeps rallies alive far longer than in tennis and makes positioning matter more than power.
- Back GlassThe Back Glass is the tall transparent wall at each end of a padel court. This players use intentionally to extend rallies by letting shots rebound back into play.
- LobA lob is a high, deep shot over the opponents at the net that pushes them back. It is padel's most important defensive weapon for winning back a losing rally.
- BandejaA bandeja is a controlled sliced overhead — Spanish for "tray" — hit to maintain net position while placing the ball deep with backspin, prioritizing position preservation over outright winning the point.
- Beginner Mistake: Not Using the WallsNot using the walls means rushing to intercept balls heading for the glass instead of playing the calmer rebound. This one habit separates padel beginners from everyone else.
- Beginner Rule Confusion: Serve Bounce RuleIn padel, the server stands behind the service line, bounces the ball once on their own side, then hits it at or below waist height. It is not tossed and hit in the air like tennis.
Related guides & benchmarks
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