Can I hire a padel racket?

We have a selection of the latest Padel rackets (and balls) to purchase at Hyde Park and The Regent's Park. If you want to try a demo racket before making your purchase you can now do that for just £25 per racket with our exclusive Park Sports Demo Racket Service ! This amount will be deducted from your bill if you decide to subsequently buy the racket from the venue on the day. We do not provide rackets for hire.

What are basic rules of padel?

Serve The point starts with a serve which, like in tennis, must be hit to the opposite square. The serve is under-hand, with a first and second serve allowed If the ball hits the net and bounces in the box, it is a let. Play The ball must bounce on the ground before touching any structure and must then be returned before the second bounce. Players can use their own windows to return the ball. Volleys are permitted. Scoring Exactly the same as tennis. Six games are needed to win a set, and the player (s) that win two sets are awarded the match. Players will play a 7 point tie-breaker if the score reaches 6 games all.

Can you hit the wall in padel?

Just like squash, balls can be played off the walls. However, if the ball hits the wall or fence before it hits the playing field, this counts as a fault and a player loses the point. Only once the ball bounces, may it hit the wall once or more before it goes over the net to the other player.

Are padel balls the same as tennis balls?

Padel balls have less pressure in them, compared to tennis balls, so they rebound off the walls slower, which helps give you more time to hit your shots. Padel balls are available to purchase at our Hyde Park and The Regent's Park venues.

I’m a beginner. What’s the best padel racket for me?

Padel rackets come in three different shapes – round, drop-shaped and diamond-shaped. They are made out of an EVA foam material, are perforated and are shorter and more compact in shape than a tennis racket. The LTA suggest starting out with a round bat, as these will offer you the best control if you’re a beginner. Junior bats are also available for kids, which are slightly lighter and have a shorter grip to make them easier to use.

What should I wear to play padel?

There’s no dress code on the Padel court – it’s all about wearing what you feel most comfortable in. We’d suggest some kind of sports kit and a comfy pair of trainers are a good place to start. However, there are specific padel trainers that can better suit the playing surface – if you fancy buying some yourself, we’d recommend talking to one of the Padel coaches.

Getting Started in

Padel

Start Your Padel Journey

Padel is one of the fastest growing sports in the World, due to its fast pace and all action rallys - it's a social sport that's easy to pick up, but difficult to put down! Typically, games of Padel are played as 'doubles' on an enclosed court with glass and metal walls, similar in layout to a tennis court but about half the size. Just like squash, balls can be played off the walls.

An Introduction To Padel

We've put together a guide on how to play, the history of the game, our top Padel activities and a list of FAQ's with help from our friends at the LTA.

Park Sports was the first UK company to offer Pay & Play Padel and now has 3 outdoor, floodlit courts in Central London - and we are actively looking to add more!

At Hyde Park and The Regent's Park we have recently increased our programme, and now offer Coffee Mornings, Evening Socials, Mixed Socials and Match Play Weekly Drills for Beginners.

Invented in Mexico in 1969, Padel is a fusion of Tennis and Squash

Adult Padel - Frequently Asked Questions

Browse all FAQs

Can I hire a padel racket?

We have a selection of the latest Padel rackets (and balls) to purchase at Hyde Park and The Regent's Park.
If you want to try a demo racket before making your purchase you can now do that for just £25 per racket with our exclusive Park Sports Demo Racket Service! This amount will be deducted from your bill if you decide to subsequently buy the racket from the venue on the day. We do not provide rackets for hire.
What are basic rules of padel?
Serve
- The point starts with a serve which, like in tennis, must be hit to the opposite square.
- The serve is under-hand, with a first and second serve allowed
- If the ball hits the net and bounces in the box, it is a let.
Play
- The ball must bounce on the ground before touching any structure and must then be returned before the second bounce.
- Players can use their own windows to return the ball.
- Volleys are permitted.
Scoring
- Exactly the same as tennis.
- Six games are needed to win a set, and the player (s) that win two sets are awarded the match.
- Players will play a 7 point tie-breaker if the score reaches 6 games all.
Can you hit the wall in padel?
Are padel balls the same as tennis balls?
I’m a beginner. What’s the best padel racket for me?

Padel rackets come in three different shapes – round, drop-shaped and diamond-shaped. They are made out of an EVA foam material, are perforated and are shorter and more compact in shape than a tennis racket.
The LTA suggest starting out with a round bat, as these will offer you the best control if you’re a beginner. Junior bats are also available for kids, which are slightly lighter and have a shorter grip to make them easier to use.
What should I wear to play padel?

Join a Padel Course

A fantastic way to train and improve your game. Learn with players of a similar level and get professional coaching advice from experienced LTA qualified padel coaches.

We offer 6-week Beginner Courses at Hyde Park and The Regent's Park for new padel players just starting, or those who may struggle with the fundamentals, such as forehand and backhand technique and consistency.

Coaching includes drills and games to steadily introduce players to the game. As well as teaching the basics of stroke play, how to serve and how to keep score.

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Book a Weekly Padel Drill

Weekly Padel Drills are ideal for trying out padel for the first time and a great way to steadily introduce players with different focuses on specific elements of the game.

Beginner Drills will focus on specific elements of the game and often include a coffee or drink afterwards so you can socialise and meet other players.

Make new friends and socialise with fellow new comers with midweek and weekend drills available to book up to 7 days in advance.

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Book a Private Padel Lesson

Private lessons are the fastest way to improve your game. Available as one-to-one or on a small group basis, lessons can be tailored to your individual needs.

Park Sports works with independent, highly experienced and professional LTA qualified padel coaches who can help you develop your technique and tactical game play.

Private Lessons for beginners will give you the chance to hit lots of balls and pick up key tips to improve your technique.

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