“It’s Better Than Tennis” – A Beginner’s Guide to TikTok’s New Favourite Sport, Padel

I couldn’t believe my eyes. “Padel is being searched more than ever this week,” the Google Trends weekly email update reads. I’ve just started (and basically mastered) tennis, now there’s a new sport on the block that’s apparently easier and better? Well, you’ve got my attention now.

I used to be the least sporty person anyone knew, but recently I’ve transformed into a football lover (for hire during the Euros and World Cup matches only), a soon-to-be marathon runner, and according to my running club coach, I handle a tennis racket like Tashi Duncan. Now I’ve found myself in the middle of padel court with padel coach Angela Wilson.

What better way to celebrate the summer of sport than with TikTok’s new favourite activity? On the social media platform, there’s over 118 million posts of people hunting down padel courts, or sharing their tips for acing a game. But where has this popularity come from? Why is everyone – including David Beckham, Pippa Middleton and F1‘s Charles Leclerc – padel-crazy? Toby Bawden, owner of leading padel tennis shop PadelCorner has the answer.

“I think it’s pretty simple why Padel is so popular – it’s extremely easy to pick up and play,” he tells PS UK. “But it’s tough to master, so it keeps you engaged and wanting more from the outset. It’s also very social as it’s played in doubles, making it great for friends and family. And it’s not power-dominated, meaning players of all ages and abilities can play, and play together.”

Just outside of Battersea Power Station, Blank Street, another TikTok favourite when it comes to aesthetically-pleasing coffee and, of course, matcha, have jumped on the padel trend, providing a pop-up padel court available to book (£50 for a 60-minute session) until 8 September 2024. There’s a yummy matcha bar on the sidelines, serving new summer specials, ‘Watermelon Matcha Spritz’ and ‘Mango Passionfruit Matcha’.

So, with our Blank Street padel rackets at the ready, PS UK’s social editor Chloe Dunn and I were taught the basics of padel and to be honest, I think we did pretty well.

Experts Featured in This Article

Toby Bawden is the owner of leading padel tennis shop PadelCorner.

Angela Wilson is a professional padel coach and a sports psychologist.

How to Play (and Win) a Game of Padel

Bawden breaks down the rules, telling us: “The basic rules are simple. You have to throw the ball over the net like you do in tennis, but you lose a point if the ball hits the net, walls or fence. It’s a simple game to pick up and more strategic than tennis.”

Our padel coach Angela was the P.E. teacher you wish you had, and taught us the multiple different serves, positions on the court and ways to dominate a rally and win the game. Arguably, winning a game of padel is an easier feat than winning a game of tennis, thanks to the smaller court and close proximity to your opponent. Bawden explains that winning is all about strategically making your opponent make an error, which sounds sly AF but that’s the aim of the game.

“You win by forcing your opponent to make errors, so by making them hit the ball out or if it bounces twice. But with the court being smaller and the walls, it’s not so easy just to hit winners,” he says.

What’s the Difference Between Padel, Pickleball and Tennis?

One of the burning questions Chloe and I had, but having played a game of tennis and now padel, the differences are clear, so for the uninitiated, Bawden shares the main differences.

“For starters, the main difference between padel and tennis is that it’s always played in doubles. There’s walls and a cage that you can use and play off, which you don’t have in tennis. It’s often described as a cross between tennis and squash,” he tells us. “The court is slightly smaller than a tennis court, and the rackets don’t have strings, so there’s just a padel, which is almost like a beach tennis racket, with holes in it. It’s a much more social game – and much more fun!

And on the difference between pickleball and padel, Bawden adds: “Pickleball is on a much smaller court than a padel court, it doesn’t have walls and it uses a plastic ball. It’s a great sport but padel is the one.”

Is Padel a Beginner’s Sport?

As our sports psychologist Wilson reminded us, you’re never a beginner, you’re an improver. Get that on a plaque! But if you’re an improver, padel is still a sport you can get involved in without feeling like you look silly. “It’s so easy to pick up, within 30 minutes anyone can play.” Bawden tells us. Chloe and I are proof of this, we were ready to join a padel tournament by the time we finished our session.

Bawden continues: “Having been working in the sport for well over nine years, I’ve introduced the sport to thousands of different people and there’s never been an instance where someone can’t pick up the spot. Part of the reason is the racket is so close to the hand so it’s easier for people to get used to, you don’t have the spins and strings that can make tennis quite complicated.”

Fancy a game? Book your 60-minute padel session with Blank Street at their Battersea Power Station pop-up courts here.

Lauren Gordon is the editorial coordinator at PS UK, where she creates lifestyle and identity content. Lauren has a degree in journalism from University of the Arts London and previously worked as a showbiz and TV reporter at The Mirror US. Lauren specialises in pop culture, hair and beauty, focusing on trends, sharing in-depth tutorials, and highlighting hidden gems in the beauty industry.