PadelAZ at Maracana Indoor Sports Arena
What Is PADEL?
Padel is a fast-growing racquet sport that uniquely combines elements of tennis and squash. Originating in Mexico in the 1960s, it's played on a distinctive enclosed court about one-third the size of a tennis court, with walls that are actively used during play.
The sport is primarily played as doubles, using solid paddles rather than stringed racquets. The ball, similar to a tennis ball but with slightly less pressure, can be played off the walls after bouncing on the ground, creating dynamic rallies and strategic gameplay.
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What makes padel particularly appealing is its accessibility - it has a gentler learning curve than tennis while offering enough tactical depth to engage experienced players. The enclosed space and team format create a social atmosphere that has helped drive its popularity worldwide.
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The sport has gained significant momentum globally, attracting celebrities and professional athletes as enthusiasts. Its emphasis on agility, reflexes, teamwork, and strategic thinking makes it both physically rewarding and mentally stimulating.
Padel's combination of fitness benefits and social enjoyment has positioned it as an inclusive sporting option that welcomes players of all ages and skill levels, making it one of the world's fastest-growing sports.
Understanding the Padel Court
The enclosed padel court measures roughly 10m × 20m, exactly one-third the size of a tennis court. The surrounding walls—typically glass and mesh—aren't just boundaries but integral elements of gameplay. Players can use these walls strategically, similar to squash, creating unique angles and extended rallies that distinguish padel from other racquet sports. The court's compact size facilitates exciting exchanges while making the game more accessible and less physically demanding than traditional tennis.
Padel Equipment Essentials
Getting started in padel requires minimal equipment. The padel racket (or paddle) is solid and perforated, shorter and thicker than a tennis racquet, providing better control for the wall-based gameplay. The specialized low-compression padel balls move slightly slower than tennis balls, allowing for longer rallies and more tactical play. This equipment combination perfectly supports the sport's accessible nature while enabling the strategic depth that makes padel so engaging.
Scoring in Padel
Adopting the familiar tennis scoring system (Love, 15, 30, 40, and game) makes padel easy to understand for newcomers while maintaining competitive structure. Matches are typically best of three sets, with tie-breaks resolving close contests. This scoring framework complements the sport's dynamic nature, creating natural peaks of tension and excitement throughout matches while keeping games moving at an engaging pace.
The Basic Rules
Padel's doubles-only format reinforces its social character, while the underhand service rule levels the playing field by reducing the advantage typically held by powerful servers in tennis. The distinctive wall-play rule—allowing the ball to bounce once on the ground before hitting walls, and then be returned—creates the tactical complexity that makes padel both accessible to beginners and challenging for experienced players. These rules perfectly balance simplicity for newcomers while providing enough depth to reward dedicated players as they improve.