Padel vs platform tennis: they are different sports that look alike. Both are played by two pairs on a small, fully enclosed court where the walls stay in play, both use a solid perforated bat instead of a strung racket, and both score like tennis. The big differences are the court and enclosure, the ball, the serve and the season. Platform tennis was invented in Scarsdale, New York, in 1928 as an outdoor winter game, while padel came out of Mexico and Spain and is played year-round, indoors and out.
If you know one and are curious about the other, the rules below are the ones that matter. Platform tennis has long been most closely associated with the New York area and the wider Northeast, where padel is now arriving alongside it. If you are new to padel, start with our complete guide to what padel is.
Thinking of trying padel? All you need to start is a racket and a tube of balls. See our picks for the best padel rackets for beginners and the best padel balls, or start with a forgiving pick such as the Babolat Contact.