Booked your first padel game? Welcome to the obsession.
The good news is you don’t need to know everything before stepping onto court. Padel is social, easy to pick up and, warning, slightly addictive.
Here are the things we’d want to know before our first serve.
What actually is padel?
Think tennis meets squash.
Padel is usually played as doubles on an enclosed court. You play over a net, but unlike tennis, the glass walls are part of the game too.
The court is smaller than a tennis court, the racquets are solid and you serve underarm.
And no, you absolutely don’t need to have played tennis before.
What do I need to play padel?
Keep it simple:
A padel racquet. Padel balls. Something comfortable to play in. Supportive trainers. Three friends.
Most clubs have racquets available to hire, so there’s no need to buy everything before your first game.
Once you’re hooked, look for a racquet that’s lightweight and easy to play with rather than immediately reaching for something super technical.
Your first racquet shouldn’t feel intimidating.
And, obviously, we think it should look good too.
What should I wear?
Wear something you can move comfortably in. A tennis or padel skirt, leggings, shorts, a sports dress or your favourite activewear all work.
The most important thing is your shoes. Choose supportive trainers with good grip. If padel becomes a regular fixture in your diary, you can invest in proper court or padel shoes later.
And yes, we fully support using your first game as an excuse for a new court outfit.
What are the basic padel rules?
You really don’t need to learn the entire rulebook before game one.
Remember the basics: serve underarm, scoring works like tennis and, yes, you can use the glass.
Five things we’d tell you before your first serve
Don’t worry about being good. You’re learning.
Don’t be scared of the glass. You’ll get used to it.
Don’t buy the most technical racquet. Easy to play with wins when you’re starting.
Wear something you feel good in.
Book another game. You will be addicted after the first!
Ready for your first serve?
SERVE was created after our founder Amy discovered padel, became completely hooked and couldn’t find the kind of racquet she actually wanted to take onto court.
So she created one.
Our lightweight, style-led racquets are designed with beginner and casual players in mind, without compromising on quality.
Serve your style. See you on court.
