Padel or tennis: which one if you play soccer?
By the Poteau Team · updated
IN SHORT
Coming from soccer, you'll pick up padel faster. Underhand serve, short racket, glass walls that keep rallies going, and you play with four. Tennis takes more technique before it gets fun, but you only need two, so it's easier to schedule. In Paris, both cost about the same per player.
What actually changes
Padel | Tennis | |
|---|---|---|
Players | 4, always doubles | 2 or 4 |
Court | 20 × 10 m (66 × 33 ft), enclosed | 23.77 × 10.97 m (78 × 36 ft) for doubles, open |
Racket | solid, 45.5 cm (18 in) max | strung, up to 73.7 cm (29 in) |
Serve | underhand | overhead |
Scoring | 15, 30, 40, game | same |
The serve is the big difference
In tennis, the serve is the hardest shot to learn. Until it goes in, there's no game.
In padel, you bounce the ball and hit it below your waist. Ten minutes in, everyone can serve. The game starts right away.
The glass buys you time
In tennis, a ball that gets past you is a lost point. In padel, it hits the back glass and comes back. You get a second chance.
So rallies last longer, even between beginners. That's often what hooks soccer players.
The habit to lose: charging the ball right away. In padel, you let it come to you.
Two or four
Tennis is usually one on one. If you're the weaker player, it shows.
Padel is played with four. You talk, you cover for each other, you play as a team. For a soccer player, that feels familiar.
The catch: you need to find three people, not one.
What it costs in Paris
On city courts in Paris, tennis costs €12 an hour outdoors and €20 indoors at full rate. Split by two, €6 or €10 each.
City padel, at Jules-Ladoumègue (19th), is listed at €20 an hour. Split by four, €5 each.
At private clubs, expect €14 to €25 per player for 90 minutes of padel. On Poteau, a padel spot usually costs €11.
Level, when you're starting out
To find out where you stand, Poteau has a padel quiz.
The quiz gives you a level from 1 to 10, shown on your profile. And two in three player-run padel games welcome levels 1 to 4.
So, which one?
You want to play from day one: padel.
You like team play: padel.
You want a long solo progression: tennis.
You've only got one friend free: tennis.
And nothing stops you from doing both.
The Poteau Team