All about padel: history, rules, and its story in Indonesia.
From a backyard in Mexico to the fastest-growing sport in the world — and now, part of Indonesia's urban lifestyle.
Official padel court diagram — 20×10 metres, 88-92cm net, service line 6.95m from the net.
How padel began
Padel was born by accident in 1969 in Acapulco, Mexico. Enrique Corcuera, a businessman who loved tennis, didn't have enough space in his backyard to build a full tennis court. Instead of giving up, he built a smaller court — 20×10 metres — and enclosed it with 3-metre walls so the ball wouldn't escape into his neighbour's property.
It was exactly those walls that changed everything: a ball bouncing off the wall could still be played, creating an entirely new style of play — a blend of tennis and squash. His wife, Viviana (a former Miss Argentina), wrote the first set of rules as a birthday gift for him.
In 1974, Spanish Prince Alfonso visited Corcuera's home, fell in love with the game, and brought it back to the Marbella Club in Spain. A year later, the sport crossed over to Argentina and instantly became a national sensation.
The International Padel Federation (FIP) was officially formed in 1991 through a meeting of representatives from Spain, Argentina, and Uruguay in Madrid — marking padel's transition into a sport with standardized rules and a global competitive structure.
How padel grew across different countries
From a single private court in Mexico, padel is now played in more than 90 countries — each with its own growth story.
Spain
The country that turned padel into a phenomenon. After its introduction in 1974, Spain grew into a home for millions of players, thousands of clubs, and the world's professional competition hub through Premier Padel.
Argentina
Arrived in 1975 and instantly became a national sporting sensation. Argentina now has over 2 million players and more than 10,000 courts — one of the largest player bases in the world.
The Whole World
Since the pandemic, padel has exploded across Europe, the Middle East, the United States, and Asia. The UK, for example, projects its padel courts will double in less than 2 years.
Source: International Padel Federation (FIP), as cited via ANTARA News & Republika, August 2026.
Padel in Indonesia
Padel in Indonesia began in Bali around 2021, initially better known among expatriates than the local population — with only around 15 courts across the island at the time.
Since then, its growth has been remarkable. In just the past year, the number of padel courts in Indonesia jumped by around 435% — from roughly 240 courts in 2024 to nearly 950 courts by the end of 2025, with a third of them located in Jakarta.
This growth has also received official recognition: the Indonesian Padel Association (PBPI) officially became the 74th member of KONI Pusat (Indonesia's National Sports Committee) in July 2024, marking padel as a nationally recognized sport, complete with a pathway to the national training program and national tournaments such as the Indonesia Open.
Padel courts are no longer just in Jakarta — they've spread to satellite areas like Tangerang, Bekasi, and Bogor, with almost every province in Indonesia now having its own court. Padelectrizen exists to be part of this growth story — community, tournaments, and Indonesian padel information all in one place.
Source: Indonesia Padel Report 2025 (Growell), as cited via GoodStats Data, ANTARA News, and Fortune Indonesia — data as of March–August 2026.
Padel court dimensions
Unlike tennis, padel court dimensions are FIXED — every official court in the world must follow the exact same size (with only a ±0.5% tolerance).
Court Size
20 metres long × 10 metres wide (200 m²), split by the net into two 10×10 metre halves. That's only about 40% the size of a tennis doubles court — which is why the game is faster and more intense.
Net
88cm high at the centre, rising to 92cm at the posts — slightly lower than a tennis net, encouraging more aggressive net play.
Walls & Fencing
Back walls stand 4 metres tall (a combination of tempered glass and metal mesh fencing) — an integral part of the game, since the ball can be played off the wall after bouncing on the floor.
Padel racket, ball, and shoes
These three pieces of equipment set padel apart from other racket sports — each with its own official specification.
Padel Racket
Solid, perforated, no strings — the easiest way to tell a padel racket apart from a tennis or badminton racket.
- Maximum size: 45.5cm long × 26cm wide × 38mm thick
- Holes on the hitting surface are 9–13mm in diameter, with no limit on the number
- Must be used with a wrist strap (lanyard) worn during play
Padel Ball
Looks similar to a tennis ball at a glance, but the spec is different — lower air pressure gives it a more controlled bounce.
- Diameter 6.35–6.77cm, weight 56–59.4 grams
- Internal pressure of 4.6–5.2 kg per 2.54 cm² — lower than a tennis ball
- Official colour is yellow or white, with a smooth rubber surface (not felted like a tennis ball)
Padel Shoes
Not just any sports shoe — padel shoe soles are specifically designed for a court surface that's different from tennis.
- Herringbone (zig-zag) sole pattern — grips well on the sand-infilled artificial turf typical of padel courts
- Extra-strong lateral support, since padel movement is mostly sideways/pivoting rather than straight-line running like tennis
- Hard-court or clay tennis shoes aren't ideal — their soles aren't built for sand-infilled artificial turf
Basic rules of the game
Always Doubles (2 vs 2)
Official padel is played 2 against 2 on both sides of the court — unlike tennis, which can be singles or doubles.
Underhand Serve
The serve must be made underhand (below the waist), the ball is bounced on your own side first, then hit diagonally into the opponent's service box.
Scoring Like Tennis
Points are counted just like tennis: 15, 30, 40, Game — complete with deuce rules when the score ties at 40-40.
Wall Play Allowed
After the ball bounces on your own side, it can be played off the wall before being returned to your opponent — this is what makes padel unique and highly strategic.
This summary follows the official rules of the International Padel Federation (FIP), edition effective 1 January 2026. For the complete rules and official tournament details, always refer to the latest FIP regulations.
Interesting facts about padel
Easy To Learn
Because the court is smaller and the racket is lighter, beginners can start playing and enjoying the game much faster than learning tennis from scratch.
A Social Sport
Padel is always played in pairs — designed from the start to be a fun sport shared with friends, not just about competition.
Suitable For All Ages
Its physical demands are gentler than tennis (smaller court, less running), making it enjoyable from teenagers to seniors.
Got the basics? Time to try it yourself.
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