Lawn Tennis vs. Padel: Codified Court & Racket Comparison
Lawn tennis and Padel share scoring systems and net principles, but differ fundamentally in court enclosure, wall rebound legality, and racket string composition.
| Regulatory Attribute | Lawn Tennis | Padel |
|---|---|---|
| Governing Authority | International Tennis Federation (ITF) | International Padel Federation (FIP) |
| Court Dimensions | 23.77m × 8.23m (Singles) / 10.97m (Doubles) | 20.0m × 10.0m (Always Doubles) |
| Walls & Enclosures | No walls; ball out of play if passes perimeter lines | Glass and metallic mesh walls actively in play after bounce |
| Racket Construction | Strung frame with woven stringbed (max 73.7cm length) | Solid perforated composite paddle without strings (max 45.5cm) |
| Service Technique | Overhead or underhand from behind baseline | Mandatory underhand serve struck at or below waist height |
Official Structural Takeaway
Tennis relies on open court geometry, overhead serving, and high racket inertia on expansive courts, whereas Padel is played within an enclosed glass-and-mesh court where walls are in play and underhand serving is mandatory.