The Fastest Growing Racket Sport You’ve (Probably) Never Played

 Imagine yourself stepping onto a court that feels familiar yet different, a hybrid between tennis and squash, but with a twist that makes the game faster, more dynamic, and surprisingly accessible. You pick up a racket, smaller and solid instead of strung, and within minutes, you’re already trading fast-paced rallies, bouncing balls off glass walls, and enjoying the kind of action-packed fun that hooks players from the first game.

Padel has taken Europe and Latin America by storm, is the fastest-growing racket game in the world, yet many people have never even heard of it.

While its popularity has exploded in countries like Spain, where it’s become the second-most played sport after soccer, it’s still flying under the radar in other parts of the world. But that’s quickly changing as more courts pop up and players rave about the easy-to-learn, addictive nature of the game.

Padel's Origins

This sport was born in the late 1960s in Mexico, when Enrique Corcuera improvised by enclosing a small court with walls, allowing the ball to rebound and adding a new dimension to racket sports.

Remaining local until the 1970s, when Spanish entrepreneur Alfonso de Hohenlohe discovered it and brought it to Spain. Its popularity quickly spread across Europe and Latin America, especially in Spain and Argentina, where it became deeply embedded in the sports culture.

How Is Padel Played: Rules and Structure

The sport largely follows the rules of traditional tennis. While it is typically played in a doubles format, so two players per team, the court is about half the size of a tennis court, surrounded by walls that are used as part of the gameplay.

The point starts with an underhand serve, (like a simple forehand in tennis), which must be hit below waist level and bounce once in the opponent's opposite service box. Players can also hit the ball off the walls, much like squash.

Scoring is the same as tennis, with matches often played as the best of three sets. Teams win points when the ball bounces twice in the opponent's court, if it’s hit out of bounds or if it hits the opponent's wall without bouncing on the court first.

Padel is fast-paced but less physically demanding than tennis, plus, it’s highly social since it's usually played in doubles, it's a great way to bond with friends or make new ones!