Short answer: Tennis shoes work on the padel court - but only mediocre. Anyone who plays regularly will quickly notice why specialized footwear makes the difference. We explain the four crucial factors
Padel and tennis share a net, scoring and basic idea - but the similarities end when it comes to footwear. The movement patterns differ so fundamentally that shoes that are ideal for tennis quickly become a tripping hazard on the padel court. And vice versa.
What exactly differentiates padel shoes from tennis shoes? Four criteria are crucial: sole, shaft construction, cushioning and upper material. Here is the direct comparison.