Why do you play padel and not pickleball? This is a question I get asked frequently. The main reason is simple: pickleball is really not popular here in Portugal. Before all my Portuguese pickleball friends scream at me, let me clarify. The reason it is not as popular as padel is twofold. 

1. There are just not very many pickleball courts here in Portugal. I do see this changing; more and more pickleball courts are popping up all over the Algarve as more expats move in. 
2. Padel originated in Spain and is VERY popular in Europe for this reason. The famous football (American soccer) player Cristiano Ronaldo loves padel and is financing courts all over Portugal.

We fell in love with padel the first time we played it. Mike loved it because it reminded him of his racquetball days. The main differences are:

Court Size and Structure

Padel is played on a smaller court, usually around 20×40 feet. The court is surrounded by glass walls that are strategically used in playing the game, very similar to racquetball but without the ceiling.

Pickleball is played on a larger court, around 20×44 feet.

Ball

Padel uses a hard rubber ball similar to a racquetball.

Pickleball uses a lightweight, perforated plastic ball.

Paddle

Padel paddles are solid wood or composite material.

Pickleball paddles are made of composite materials and have a solid surface.

Scoring

Padel uses a rally scoring system, where every serve results in a point.

Pickleball uses a non-volley zone and a unique scoring system.

Gameplay

Padel is a faster-paced game with more power shots, using the glass walls for returns.

Pickleball emphasizes more finesse shots and dinking near the net.

We play padel three times a week, and I get more addicted with each game. We are very lucky to have padel courts at the property in which we live, making it easy to hop on a court. We have a large group of people that make up what we call “Social Padel.” We play every Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday. After our 1.5-hour game, we walk over to the sports bar on the property and enjoy a café together. Here, we share stories of our travels, our families back home, or commiserate together about our aches and pains from playing padel, lol. Padel is a very fast-paced thinking game. It is not about strength as much as it is about shot choice. Of course, you can win a point by zinging it over the net, but the real magic happens with lobs and smashes. :-)

Having a social game to play with fellow expats has been a major factor in our feeling at home in Portugal. Whether you are in your own hometown, in a new country, or just wanting to create more social bonds, I encourage you to pick up a sport—padel, pickleball, or just a community walk. Bonding over something enjoyed with other people is very good for the soul. Remember, as we age, it is not as much about how we look but more about how we move. Use it or lose it, as they say. :-)