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The Evolution of Padel Court Design: Innovations and Trends
They say necessity is the mother of invention. In the 1960s, Mexican businessman Enrique Corcuera proved just how true that is with his creation of a new racket sport: padel. Also called padel tennis, it went on to take over Europe and parts of Latin America, gaining footholds in Spain and Argentina. Now, it’s driving plenty of buzz in the United States, with courts quickly popping up in states like Florida, California, New York, Arizona, and Texas. Some are even saying it could be the next pickleball.
But before we get too ahead of ourselves, let’s stop to answer: what is padel? What makes padel and the courts where it’s played unique, and how has padel court design evolved and innovated over the years?
We’ll walk you through what you need to know about the origin of padel and the changing look of padel courts below. Then, we’ll showcase some new padel court design trends worth imitating, whether you’re looking for a fun, property value-boosting feature for your backyard or a new attraction for a recreation or fitness center.
In this article, you can find:
What is padel? A brief history of the sport
Often described as a mix of tennis and squash, padel is played on an enclosed court that’s smaller than a classic doubles tennis court but larger than a pickleball court. The size of these courts is important both to how the padel sport is played and why it was created.
In 1969, Enrique Corcuera, a prominent businessman living in Acapulco, Mexico, and his wife, Viviana, created the first padel court. On an earlier trip to the U.S., Enrique had discovered platform tennis, a 1920s spin-off of traditional tennis played on a smaller court with a paddle instead of a tennis racket. According to their son, Enrique and Viviana didn’t have space for a full-sized tennis court at home. So, they got creative; Enrique drew from his memories of platform tennis and adapted an existing squash court, adding cement walls for more dynamic play. (As with squash, rebounding is a big part of padel’s strategy!)
Per another memorable version of this story, the Corcuera’s padel court was built on property Enrique had just purchased after Viviana, an avid tennis fan, noticed there wasn’t room for a tennis court. Seeing this, Viviana is said to have effectively declared: “No tennis, no Viviana.”
No matter the cause, Enrique and Viviana soon owned the world’s first padel court. Though it’d been built for their amusement only, that changed when a friend of Enrique’s — who just so happened to be a Spanish prince and famous resort developer — tried his hand at the game. An immediate fan, he imported padel back to Spain, where the sport found its first international audience. Soon after, an Argentinian tennis player discovered padel while vacationing at one of the prince’s resorts, and the rest was history.
Today, it’s estimated that about 35 million people play padel in the U.S., and the sport is rapidly growing. As of fall 2024, 600 U.S. padel courts have opened, with a growth potential of as many as 30,000 courts by 2030. Gen Z padel players in particular are anticipated to be behind much of that growth.
So, now you know the evolution of padel’s popularity. But how is the padel sport played? To answer that, it’s helpful to draw comparisons between it and its more famous racket-sport cousin. Namely:
How is padel different from tennis?
Padel tennis has strong similarities to classic tennis. For instance, with both padel and tennis, the scoring system is the same, the court’s dividing net is the same height, a ball of similar size and material is used, and matches are usually played in best-of-three sets.
So while many of the games’ basic rules are the same, there are also some key differences. Padel paddles are solid, smaller, and feature a shorter handle than tennis rackets’, for one. In padel, as with squash, you can also play the ball off the court walls, leading to longer rallies. And while tennis is sometimes played in doubles, padel almost always is, including at the competitive level. That’s one reason it, like pickleball, attracts fans of social sports.
Perhaps the biggest difference between padel tennis and tennis is the look and functionality of the courts. As we’ve already touched on, padel courts are smaller than tennis courts; padel court dimensions (20 meters x 10 meters) add up to 200 square meters (or 2,178 square feet) of playable surface, compared to a doubles tennis court’s 261 square meters (2,808 square feet). And while tennis courts use an open design, padel courts are enclosed, with walls being a big part of how the game is played.
Finally, there’s the (literal) foundation of the game — or, the surface you play on.
What kind of surface is padel played on?
Tennis is typically played on a hard court made from asphalt or concrete with an acrylic coating. Less often, you’ll see a clay court (as used in the French Open) or a natural grass court (as seen at Wimbledon).
Padel courts, meanwhile, come with a few options for padel court flooring. But artificial turf (traditionally in blue) with a sand infill is the most popular, and for good reason.
First, the design possibilities for turf padel courts are near-endless, as they tend to invite more creativity than, say, your standard acrylic-topped tennis court. Particularly when using a coated sand infill like Envirofill that’s color-matched to your turf — and FYI, Envirofill comes in blue, red, green, and black, precisely the color palette of most popular padel courts! — you’ll get a modern, visually blended look that’s free of the mess and visible streaks created by raw sand.
Of course, looks aren’t all that matter. A turf padel court that uses a high-quality infill like Envirofill also plays better, since it makes for quicker footwork, sharper turning, and a more consistent and predictable ball bounce. Plus, with Envirofill, you get an infill that’s ultra-durable and reusable, with minimal need for upkeep and built-in Microban technology to fight bacteria, mold, and mildew. Combined, that’s going to enhance the looks and lifespan of your padel court.
But let’s get back to the fun stuff: padel court design. Below, we’ll take a peek at some padel court design trends we’re seeing today, how they’ve evolved, and what makes coated sand infill your secret design weapon.
Padel court design evolutions & trends
In the sport’s early days, padel court design was minimalistic. Concrete was the most common padel court floor material, and walls were typically solid concrete or brick. Sometimes, a simple wire mesh fence would be used. But things started to change when padel turf and glass walls were introduced.
Transparent glass walls don’t just look sleeker than concrete. Their introduction also meant better visibility for padel players and spectators, making the sport more engaging to play and to watch. Padel turf made things even more dynamic. With improved grip and traction, players could enjoy more controlled, strategic movement (not to mention more cushioning and comfort!). And when playing padel outdoors, a well-installed turf and infill system drains water more quickly than concrete. Meaning? Fewer weather-based cancellations.
Today, modern padel courts pair turf and glass in a way that blends polished aesthetics with optimized performance. Here are four design trends we’re seeing that reflect that combination.
1. Using ultra-clean lines
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All-glass padel court walls naturally conjure a sleek, modern look. Some padel court owners are taking that a step further by incorporating sharp lines elsewhere, including in their turf installations. For padel courts that use metal mesh fencing, swapping black or gray metal for a monochromatic palette that matches your turf is another stylish look.
2. Incorporating lounge space
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Padel’s status as a social sport is a major driver of its success. Many padel court owners are keeping that in mind with their court designs, extending their padel turf into spaces for pre- or post-game lounging.
3. Trying out new artificial turf colors
A vivid blue may be the most traditional padel turf hue, but there’s no rule saying you can’t branch out! Some multi-court facilities use a different artificial turf and turf infill color for each court, and you can also create contrast by choosing different artificial turf colors for courts’ perimeters, too.
From warm reds that mimic the look of clay courts to classic grass green, there’s a whole range of turf colors — and artificial turf infill colors — out there. And that brings us to our final trend…
4. Seamlessly matching your turf infill and artificial turf
In the past, many padel courts used raw, natural sand for their turf infill. That helped add traction and stabilize turf fibers, but it also came with some drawbacks, including raw sand’s tendency to compact over time. The result? Inconsistent playing surfaces and a greater risk of injuries. Not only that, but a colored turf surface paired with raw sand can look a bit, well, messy. To see what we mean, look at the following two photos. One of these two courts is using a raw sand infill, and we’re pretty sure you’ll be able to guess which is:
To achieve a blended look, more and more padel courts are replacing raw sand with coated silica sand infills, like Envirofill. Unlike raw sand, Envirofill’s highly rounded quartz core means it’s non-compacting, giving you optimal traction year after year with minimal need for top-offs. Round and smooth, it’s also easier to add uniformly throughout padel turf’s short, dense fibers, something that’s often a challenge with padel court installations.
Finally, with Envirofill, you’ll always get a seamless look. Whether your court’s artificial turf is colored padel’s trademark blue, a clay-like red, or classic green, Envirofill comes in colors to match — no sandy streaks in sight.
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