With Wimbledon serving up a feast of drama, along with strawberries and cream, it's a great time to talk about racket sports. Most people know about tennis, but what about its fast-growing, fun cousins, padel and pickleball? All three involve a racket, ball and net, but padel and pickle are much easier to pick up and enjoy long rallies, so why not have a go?
Tennis: the original racket sport
When was it invented?
Tennis, the original racket sport, was invented in 1873 by British army officer Major Walter Clopton Wingfield and is played as singles or doubles. Players serve in alternate games into the diagonally opposite service box (as with padel and pickleball). They hit the ball over the net in a rally, trying to make it bounce twice on the opponent's side of the court or so that it can't be returned. Tennis's fiendish scoring system (Love, 15, 30, 40, deuce, game) gives matches extra drama.
Why do people love it?
Tennis is captivating to watch and absorbing to play and can be played on grass, clay, indoor or hard courts.
Did you know? Real tennis, tennis's indoor ancestor, was one of Henry VIII's favourite sports!
Padel: Tennis Meets Squash
“It’s a lot easier to build rallies than some other racquet sports.”
Jon Lee, Racquets Manager, David Lloyd Southend
When was it invented?
Padel was invented by Mexican businessman Enrique Corcuera in 1969, who modified a court at his home and created a new game that combined elements of tennis and squash.
How do you play?
Padel is almost always played as doubles. The court is smaller than a tennis court and surrounded by walls and glass panels. Here’s the fun bit: after the ball bounces, it can rebound off the walls and remain in play. Players use solid rackets without strings and a slightly less pressurised tennis ball. It is played on artificial grass either indoors or outdoors.
The basic rules:
- The ball must bounce once before hitting the walls
- Serves are underarm
- Scoring is the same as tennis
- Teams work together to control the net and use the walls strategically
- Serves are underarm and you can only win points when serving.
- The ball must bounce once on each side after the serve before volleys are allowed.
- Players cannot volley while standing in the “kitchen” – a seven-foot area next to the net.
- Games are usually played to 11 points.
Why do people love it?
Padel is easier to learn than tennis and rallies tend to last longer. Because the court is smaller, it’s less physically demanding, making it popular with beginners and families.
Did you know? The first set of padel rules were created by founder Enrique Corcuera’s wife, Viviana, who was crowned Miss Argentina in 1964!
Nearest courts & cost:
The nearest padel courts to our Putney store are at National Tennis Centre Padel (SW15 5JQ) or Rocks Lane Padel (SW13 0DG) From £52 per hour for a court. The nearest padel courts to our Richmond store are located at Rocks Lane Padel in Barnes (SW13 0DG) and Rocks Lane Padel in Chiswick (W4 1RZ) From £52 per hour for a court.
Pickleball: A Tasty Newcomer!
"The game is so simple to learn and easy to play."
Bill Gates, Microsoft founder
When was it invented?
Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, by three fathers: Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum, who apparently wanted a game to entertain their children over summer.
How do you play?
Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. Players use a solid paddle and a lightweight plastic ball with holes. The court is the same size as a badminton court. It can be played indoors or outdoors on hard courts. Indoor courts may be hardwood, sports flooring or tiles.
The basic rules:
Why do people love it?
Pickleball is very beginner-friendly. The smaller court means less running, and most people can enjoy a decent rally within minutes of picking up a paddle.
Did you know? Pickleball is said to get its name from a rowing expression called ‘a pickle boat’ - a crew made up of random, spare rowers.
Nearest courts & cost:
The nearest pickleball court to our Putney store is at Park Sports Chiswick (W4 3EU) Courts cost £15 an hour. The nearest pickleball court to our Richmond store is at Twickenham School Whitton Sports Centre (TW9 1ND). Courts cost £17 an hour.
Strokes Common to Tennis, Padel and Pickleball
Serve (overhead in tennis, underarm in padel and pickleball), forehand, backhand, volley (hitting the ball before it bounces), lob (high shot over opponent), smash and drop shot. Once you’ve mastered these, you can play any of the three sports.
We hope you enjoy our fun guide and whether you’re smashing serves on grass, bouncing shots off glass walls in padel or mastering the pickleball kitchen, we hope you have a smashing time. Enjoy!
See our range of tennis and padel and pickleball shoes.