Padel is the fastest-growing racket sport in the world, renowned for its social nature, enclosed glass courts, and underhand serving style. While many people know the basics, the sport’s history and unique rules contain some surprising details that even many casual players might miss.

Here are six compelling facts about Padel that elevate it from a simple tennis-squash hybrid to a truly unique global phenomenon.

1. The Original Court is Now a Swimming Pool

The very first padel court, built in 1969 at the Acapulco home of inventor Enrique Corcuera, no longer exists. After Corcuera passed away and the property was sold, the new owners demolished the historic court to make way for a swimming pool, meaning the birthplace of the sport is sadly lost.

2. The Walls Were a Gardening Fix

The defining characteristic of the padel court, the enclosed walls, was not originally a tactical innovation. Corcuera’s primary motivation for surrounding his small playing area with walls was simply to prevent the ball from constantly flying into his neighbour's garden and the surrounding vegetation.

3. Padel Balls Are Not Tennis Balls

While they look almost identical, official padel balls are required to have less internal pressure and be slightly smaller than standard tennis balls. This crucial difference reduces the speed and bounce, which is essential for facilitating those long, strategic rallies inside the smaller court.

4. You Can Play the Point Outside the Court

In professional and high-level amateur play, if an opponent hits the ball with such force that it bounces off the glass and out through the court’s side gates, players are allowed to run out of the court and return the ball before it bounces a second time. This dramatic play is called the "saca por tres" (out by three).

5. The Name Change Was for Correct Pronunciation

When the sport was officially recognized in Spain in 1993, the Spanish Sports Council formally changed the spelling from the English "Paddle" to the Spanish "Pádel" (with an accent). This slight change was made to ensure Spanish speakers pronounced the word correctly as a two-syllable word, rather than the one-syllable English sound.

6. Golden Point is the Great Equalizer

Many padel matches use the "No-Ad" scoring system, where if the score reaches deuce (40-40), the next point is a sudden-death "Golden Point" and immediately decides the game winner. This rule adds immense, instant pressure to every point and speeds up the match considerably.

6 Fun Facts About Padel You Might Not Know