Padel vs. Tennis: How to Repurpose Underused Space for Maximum ROI

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23 Apr 2024
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Converting a single underperforming tennis court into three padel courts using Edwards Sports' specialist fencing and netting solutions is a cost-effective way to maximise your return on investment. In this article, we'll explore how UK clubs can capitalise on the 'padel boom'.

We'll compare padel and tennis to show you just how easy it is to repurpose your space and increase profitability.

For most clubs, the debate isn't about 'padel vs. tennis', it's about incorporating both to create a well-rounded program, repurposing underutilised courts to meet the high demand for padel.

Let's discuss the details.

Padel vs. Tennis: How to Repurpose Your Court

Padel courts are smaller than tennis courts, meaning some clubs can fit 2-3 padel courts within one underused tennis court footprint, depending on available run-off space and layout.
Many UK clubs are investing in padel to increase court bookings, coaching opportunities, social sessions, and overall ROI from underused facilities.
Tennis courts can often be adapted temporarily using divider netting, surround systems, and regulation padel nets, before committing to a permanent purpose-built court.
Before converting courts, clubs should consider planning permission, drainage, surfacing quality, fencing requirements, player safety, and long-term demand for padel.

What Are the Main Differences Between Padel & Tennis?

	Padel	Tennis
Difficulty	Easier to learn, less physically demanding	Harder to learn, more physically demanding
Players	Primarily doubles	Singles or doubles
Court Size	Smaller (20m x 10m) with walls	Larger (23.77m x 8.23m for singles, 10.97m for doubles)
Surface	Synthetic turf	Grass, clay, or hard court
Ball	Lower bounce, slower speed	Higher bounce, faster speed
Racket	Shorter, solid face, no strings	Longer, larger head, strung
Scoring	Games are won by the first to four points & tie-breaks at deuce, requiring a two-point lead	Games are won by the first to four points & tie-breaks at deuce, requiring a two-point lead

Read: The Complete Guide to Padel Court Dimensions

Although very similar, some key differences between tennis and padel make them seem like entirely different sports when it comes to playing, teaching them, and offering them at your venue.

Here are the main differences between these two racket sports in detail to help you better understand them.

Difficulty of Play

Tennis is generally considered more physically demanding than padel. The larger court requires more athleticism and strength to cover the area, and rallies often demand powerful serves and returns.

Padel, on the other hand, is often seen as more accessible for beginners. The smaller, walled court means less ground to cover, and the solid, stringless racket is easier for newcomers to handle.

If you're hoping to attract both beginners and seasoned racket sporters, offering both will be a sure-fire way to do just that.

Number of Players

While tennis can be played in singles (one player per side) or doubles (two players per side), padel is almost always played in doubles.

The smaller court and walled design are best suited for a four-person game, though singles can be played casually.

Clubs offering group sessions, operating a buddy system, or hosting tournaments, padel will fit right into the agenda.

Playing Surface & Court Dimensions

Tennis courts are larger, measuring 23.77 metres in length, 8.23 metres in width for singles matches, and 10.97 metres in width for doubles.

Discover the 10 Most Famous Tennis Courts

Tennis can be played on various surfaces, including:

Grass courts
Clay courts
Hard courts
Artificial grass courts

Padel courts are much smaller, measuring 20 metres in length and 10 metres in width. This means, on one tennis court, you can offer your members 2-3 padel courts.

Padel courts typically have a synthetic turf surface, which influences the ball's speed and bounce, often resulting in slower play and longer rallies compared to tennis.

Read: Padel Tennis Courts 101

Padel Ball & Tennis Ball Composition

The balls used in tennis and padel differ in their composition, which affects how each game is played.

Tennis balls have a rubber base covered with fibrous felt and higher internal pressure. This design allows for a higher bounce and faster speed, suiting the larger court and varied surfaces of tennis.

Padel balls, while visually similar, are slightly softer with less internal pressure. This results in a lower bounce and slower speed, which is better suited to the smaller, enclosed padel courts and encourages longer, strategic rallies.

Racket Differences

The rackets used in tennis and padel are as different as the sports themselves.

Tennis rackets have long handles, large heads, and strings. This design helps players generate powerful shots and spin, which is essential for the larger tennis court.

The Ultimate Tennis Racket Size Guide

Padel rackets are shorter, stringless, and solid, with holes to reduce air resistance. Made from composite materials, their smaller size and solid face offer better control for the fast, close-quarters rallies typical in padel.

Scoring

Padel and tennis have similar scoring systems, with a few key differences. Both sports use games and sets.

In tennis, a game is won by the first player to score four points (15, 30, 40, game).

One point - 15
Two points - 30
Three points - 40
Four points - Game

If the score hits 40-40, known as 'deuce', a player must win by two consecutive points.

Padel has a similar system, with games won by the first to four points and tie-breaks at deuce requiring a two-point lead.

Both sports generally play best-of-three-set matches, where winning a set requires six games with at least a two-game lead.

At a 6-6 set tie, tennis plays a tie-break to 7 points (needing a two-point lead), as does padel.

Woman playing Padel

Why Are Clubs Converting Tennis Courts Into Padel Courts?

2-3 padel courts can fit on a standard tennis court footprint
Maximising earning potential per square metre
Multi-use courts bring opportunities to become a multi-sports venue
Potential to transform underused areas into a high-demand facility

One of the main reasons tennis clubs are seeing the potential in offering padel is the fact that a standard tennis court occupies a large area of land, but within that same footprint, you can typically fit 2-3 padel courts.

For clubs, this allows them to offer both sports to their members without actually having to pay for a new purpose-built court.

Especially profitable for underused tennis courts, clubs can transform their spare courts or courts that no longer receive traffic.

More courts available means more bookings, coaching sessions, and tournaments, maximising their earning potential per square metre.

Read: How to Grow Club Membership

For clubs with quieter midweek court usage, padel can create additional coaching, casual booking, and social tournament opportunities without needing to expand the wider site footprint.

It also creates opportunities for clubs to become multi-sport facilities. This diversification can attract a wider range of members, including families and players who might be new to racket sports.

Learn How Your Club Can Become an Indoor Multi-Sports Facility

Why is Padel Growing So Quickly?

The UK is currently experiencing its very own 'padel boom', thanks to players across the country trying out and taking up the sport that, just a few years ago, was hardly known.

According to the LTA, over 860,000 people are playing the sport on an annual basis, with over 1,553 courts across 559 venues at the end of 2025.

Now the governing body for padel in the UK, the LTA says its popularity has risen and continues to rise because the sport is:

Open to all
An excellent form of exercise
Social
Desirable to those who enjoy competition
Has a growing number of British stars

As we said earlier, sports facilities and tennis clubs are starting to see the popularity of padel across social media, and are incorporating it into their own sporting calendar.

Below, we have created a step-by-step guide on how you can include it at your own venue.

Discover How Much It Costs to Build a Padel Court in the UK

How to Convert One Court Into Multi-Use Courts for Padel & Tennis: Step-by-Step

Below is a step-by-step guide to converting your underused court into a number of padel courts to maximise your tennis court ROI.

Note: This is a guide on temporarily using your tennis courts as padel courts. To permanently use your courts for padel, you will need to install glass/metal mesh fencing, restore the surface, and ensure the court meets LTA guidelines for competitive padel.

Step 1: Measure the Full Tennis Court Footprint

Start by measuring the full available area, not just the painted tennis lines. A standard padel court measures 20m x 10m, while the wider tennis court enclosure may allow enough space for multiple courts.

In many cases, one full tennis court footprint can accommodate 2 padel courts comfortably, or up to 3 courts if the site has enough surrounding space and the layout works.

Step 2: Decide Whether the Courts Will Be Permanent or Adapted

For a true padel court, clubs will usually need a permanent enclosed court structure. However, if the aim is to test demand first, the club may explore a lighter-touch setup using court dividers, surround netting and suitable temporary markings.

This is where Edwards’ court surround nets and divider netting can help separate playing areas, manage loose balls and make the space safer for multi-court use.

Step 3: Plan the Court Layout

Map out where each 20m x 10m padel court will sit. The layout should consider:

Player access between courts
Emergency access
Spectator viewing
Fencing position
Net placement
Lighting columns
Existing gates and pathways

For a 2-court conversion, the layout is usually easier. A 3-court layout may require more careful spacing and may only work where the surrounding tennis court run-off area is generous.

Step 4: Install or Upgrade Court Fencing and Dividers

Padel relies on an enclosed playing area, so fencing and rebound walls are part of the court itself.

Where a club is adapting an existing tennis area, Edwards’ court surround netting and divider netting can be used to manage the wider court environment, separate spaces, and contain balls around the new layout.

This is especially useful where the converted area sits close to other courts, walkways, car parks or neighbouring facilities.

Step 5: Add Regulation Padel Nets

Each padel court needs its own regulation padel net. Edwards supplies padel nets, including durable headband options suitable for outdoor use.

A good setup should include:

One net per court
Secure posts or fixing points
Correct net tension
Suitable weather-resistant materials
Easy maintenance access

Step 6: Review Surrounding Safety and Ball Containment

Once the courts are positioned, check where balls may travel outside the playing area. Edwards’ tennis court surround nets and divider systems can help protect surrounding areas and keep adjacent courts or walkways safer.

This is important if the conversion is designed to increase participation and court turnover.

Step 7: Test the Layout Before Full Launch

Before opening the courts fully, clubs should test:

Player movement
Visibility between courts
Safe access points
Net tension and positioning
Ball containment
Drainage after wet weather
Whether the layout feels cramped during peak use

This will highlight what actually works, and what just looks good in theory.

Key Considerations Before Conversion

If you think converting your tennis court is feasible, below are some considerations your club should make before you make any adjustments:

Available footprint: A padel court is 20m x 10m, but extra space is needed for access, fencing, maintenance and safe movement.
Existing court condition: If the tennis court surface is damaged, uneven or poorly drained, it may need remedial work before conversion.
Usage demand: Check whether tennis demand is genuinely underused before replacing court space.
Access and circulation: Players need safe routes between courts, especially if multiple courts are fitted into one tennis court area.
Budget and ROI: 2-3 padel courts can increase bookable court hours, but installation, maintenance, surfacing, and planning costs need to be factored in.

Planning Permission, Surfacing & Drainage Considerations for Permanent Courts

If your club does decide to build a purpose-built padel court, rather than lightly adapting an existing tennis area, there are extra considerations.

Planning Permission

Planning permission is usually required for a new padel court, especially where the project includes a permanent enclosure, floodlighting, glass walls, fencing or changes to the site layout.

The club may need to consider:

Visual impact
Floodlighting
Noise
Operating hours
Proximity to neighbouring properties
Access and parking
Local authority requirements

Discover a Pro’s Guide to Lighting Solutions

Surfacing

A purpose-built padel court needs a suitable sports surface designed for padel use. The existing tennis surface may not always be suitable, especially if it has poor grip, uneven levels or drainage issues.

The surface should support:

Safe player movement
Consistent ball bounce
Weather resistance
Long-term durability
Regular maintenance

Drainage

Drainage is critical for outdoor padel courts. Poor drainage can lead to standing water, surface damage, slippery conditions, and reduced court availability.

Before building, clubs should assess:

Whether water already pools on the tennis court
Sub-base condition
Surrounding land drainage
Whether additional drainage channels are needed

Choosing the Right Fencing, Netting & Court Equipment

Choosing the right court equipment is essential for ensuring your nets and posts are up to standard and perform well against frequent usage.

Find Out How to Choose a Reliable Sports Equipment Supplier

That's why we recommend using Edwards Sports as your padel equipment supplier.

Not only do we precision-engineer our products and manufacture them to align with standards and safety guidelines in the UK, but we have been doing so for over 130 years.

Trusted by high-profile sporting venues, including the likes of Wimbledon, MCC Cricket Academy at Lords, and various football stadiums across the UK, you can trust us to kit your padel court out with the right equipment.

From hand-checked, durable padel nets made for easy installation to heavy-duty, socketed posts, machine-reinforced divider nets, galvanised steel court divider posts, and our state-of-the-art court surround system, we have the equipment you need for a temporary or permanent padel set-up.

Shop some of our products below, or browse our website for the full range. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us, as we are always more than happy to help you choose what you need.

Padel vs. Tennis: Is Converting Courts Worth It?

If your tennis club or facility has an underused court where it could be generating more revenue, you have nothing to lose in turning it into 2-3 temporary padel courts.

In fact, reacting now to the current padel boom is likely to impact your club in many positive ways:

Maximise tennis court ROI
New and diverse members
Enhanced awareness
Multi-sports facility status

So, if you're ready to offer padel at your tennis club to help it thrive, browse our equipment that can help you turn your tennis court into padel courts, and see if your members are interested in taking up the sport!

Discover Our Net Surrounds and Dividers Here

Following that, you might like to consider adding padel as a permanent part of your sports roster.

FAQs

Is Padel Easier Than Tennis?

Padel is often considered easier to pick up than tennis for beginners due to the smaller court size, walls that can be played off, and a slower ball.

However, mastery in both sports requires skill, strategy, and practice.

Is a Padel Ball and a Tennis Ball the Same?

No, they aren’t. Tennis balls have a rubber base covered with fibrous felt and higher internal pressure for higher bounce and faster speed.

Padel balls are slightly softer with less internal pressure for a lower bounce and slower speed to accommodate their smaller, enclosed courts.

Why is Padel So Popular in the UK?

Padel's popularity can be attributed to its accessibility for all ages and skill levels. It promotes social interaction within a less physically demanding framework than tennis.

This combination of ease and camaraderie makes padel an appealing option for many, contributing to its growing global appeal.

What is a Padel Court?

A padel court is a small, enclosed playing area. It typically measures 10 meters wide by 20 meters long and is surrounded by fencing.

There are also markings on the court for the service boxes and centre service line, which help structure gameplay and serving.

How Many Padel Courts Can Fit on a Tennis Court?

A single underused tennis court footprint can accommodate up to three padel courts.

This is because a padel court is smaller than a tennis court when the surrounding run-off and enclosure space of a full tennis court area is considered.

However, the exact number depends on the existing site layout, available run-off space, access requirements, drainage, fencing, lighting and whether the courts are being designed for recreational or competition-level use.

On a standard tennis court, two padel courts can fit side by side comfortably.

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