What is padel, and where can you play it? Discover the ins and outs of this exciting sport and where to find courts in Sydney and beyond.
Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, yet it remains relatively unknown in Sydney and across Australia.
While you won’t have any issue finding a padel court in many European countries, Australia still has a lot of catching up to do.
Below, we’ll explain what padel is and share where to find courts and clubs in Sydney and other cities across Australia.
What Is Padel?
Padel is a racket sport that was invented in Mexico in the late 1960s, and has since spread to various other Latin American countries. It has also become extremely popular in Spain and other European countries.
We all know tennis, and most of us will also be familiar with squash. Padel is best described as a mix of those two sports. It’s very similar to tennis in its setup and scoring, with the key difference that the court is enclosed by glass and mesh walls.
Padel is always played in doubles, though for training purposes, one-on-one play is also possible. It’s a relatively easy-to-learn sport where strategy is more important than power, and is suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
Padel Court
A padel court is similar to a tennis court, with a net in the middle and glass and mesh walls surrounding the court.
The court measures 20 x 10 metres and is approximately one-third smaller than a professional tennis court.
The walls create a cage-like structure with a door at each end of the net. The ball can be played off the walls, similar to how squash works.
During a rally, a player may run off the court to return a ball into play when an opponent smashes the ball such that it goes over the walls.
Padel Racquets
A padel racquet is smaller than a tennis racket, is made of solid materials, and has holes rather than strings.
It comes in three different shapes:
- Round shape
- Diamond shape
- Teardrop shape
The racquet you choose will depend on your skills, playing style, and personal preferences.
While tennis balls can be used in padel, real padel balls are preferred. Padel balls are a bit softer than tennis balls because of lower internal pressure and are marginally smaller.
Watch this video with a brief explanation of padel:
Where to Find Padel Courts?
Sydney is where padel was first introduced to Australia in 2016, and now has multiple locations where you can play a game.
List of padel clubs in Sydney and New South Wales:
| Club | Where | More Info |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor Padel Sydney | Alexandria NSW | Website |
| Indoor Padel Northern Beaches | Cromer NSW | Website |
| Sydney Racquet Club | Moore Park NSW | Website |
| Tribe Padel | North Ryde NSW | Website |
| Padel Club Australia | North Rocks NSW | Website |
| Padel Point | Bankstown NSW | Website |
| The Padel Lounge | Greenacre NSW | Website |
| La Palma Padel Club | Tuggerah NSW | Website |
| Sol Padel | Thurgoona NSW | Website |
| The Town Padel | Coffs Harbour NSW | Website |
Padel has grown significantly since its introduction in 2016, and today, most major cities across Australia have at least one padel club.
List of padel clubs outside New South Wales:
| Club | Where | More Info |
|---|---|---|
| Canberra Racquet Club | Fyshwick ACT | Website |
| Game4Padel Docklands | Docklands VIC | Website |
| Game4Padel Richmond | Richmond VIC | Website |
| South East Padel | Noble Park VIC | Website |
| Nordic Padel | Tullamarine VIC | Website |
| iPadel Melbourne | Reservoir VIC | Website |
| Padel Fit | Thebarton SA | Website |
| Padel Gold Coast | Carrara QLD | Website |
| Padel Brisbane | The Gap QLD | Website |
| West Coast Padel | Dalkeith WA | Website |
| Padel West | Melville WA | Website |
| Padel Perth Reabold | Floreat WA | Website |
| Padel Crush | Wembley WA | Website |
