Padel is a racquet sport played by four players, divided into two teams of two. Each player shares one side of the court with their teammate. Because the court is enclosed and slightly smaller than a tennis court, teamwork, positioning, and communication are essential. Success in padel relies heavily on coordination between partners to cover the space effectively and to build tactical strategies.
1) The Serve
Starting the point: Each game begins with a serve.
First serve position and alternation: A game always starts serving from the RIGHT service court, then alternates sides on every point (right–left–right–left).
Underhand rule: The server must always serve underhand. The ball must be dropped and allowed to bounce once on the ground, behind the service line, before being struck. The serve must be hit at or below elbow height.
Direction: The serve must travel diagonally across the net into the opponent’s service box (right to left, left to right).
Valid serve: The ball must first land inside the correct service box without touching the net.
Let serve: If the ball touches the net but still lands properly in the correct service box, the serve is replayed without penalty.
Faults: If the serve does not land in the correct box, or hits the net and fails to land correctly, it is a fault. Two consecutive faults lose the point.
After the bounce: A valid serve that lands in the box may then hit the GLASS (back or side) and remains good; if it touches the METAL fence after the bounce, it is a fault.
2) During the Rally
Once the ball is in play, these rules apply:
One bounce: The ball may only bounce once on the ground per side. If it bounces twice, the point is lost.
After the bounce on the opponents’ side: The ball may hit either GLASS or METAL fence and the point continues.
Before the bounce on the opponents’ side: If the ball hits their GLASS or METAL fence first (without first bouncing on the court), it is out.
Using your own walls: You may play the ball off your own GLASS before it crosses the net. If the ball touches your own METAL fence before crossing the net, you lose the point.
Volleys: You may volley (hit the ball before it bounces) only after it has crossed the net.
Clean strike: A player may not strike the ball twice in a row; the hit must be a single, clean contact.
Contact with players: If the ball in play hits you or your partner (or your clothing) before touching the ground on the opponents’ side, you lose the point. If it hits an opponent after your valid shot, you win the point.
Reaching over / striking inside opponents’ court: You must hit the ball from your side of the net. If you strike the ball on or above the opponents’ court before it has bounced there or returned to your side, you lose the point—EXCEPT when the ball has rebounded back over the net off the opponents’ GLASS, in which case you may reach over and play it.
Touching the net: If a player, their clothing, or their racket touches the net or posts while the ball is in play, they lose the point.
Ceiling & fixtures: If the ball hits the ceiling, lights, net posts, or any external structure, it is out (loss of point to the striker).
Out of court: The ball must first bounce inside the opponents’ court before leaving the enclosure; if it goes straight out without bouncing in, the point is lost.
3) Scoring System
Padel uses tennis-style game points, but most competitions use the No-Advantage (Golden Point) rule at Deuce.
Points within a game:
0 points = Love
1 point = 15
2 points = 30
3 points = 40
Deuce = 40–40 (Golden Point)
Golden Point (No-Advantage): At 40–40 there is no Advantage. A single deciding point is played; the RECEIVING team chooses which player will receive the serve. The server serves from the side they would normally serve next. The winner of this point wins the game.
4) Winning a Set
A set is won by the first team to win six games, with at least a two-game lead (e.g., 6–4).
If the score reaches 5–5, play continues up to 7 games (e.g., 7–5).
If the score reaches 6–6, a tie-break is played to decide the set.
5) Tie-Break Rule
The tie-break is played to 7 points, win by 2 (e.g., 7–5, 8–6).
Serving order: The player due to serve starts with ONE serve from the right; then the opponents serve TWO points (left, right); afterwards teams alternate every two serves, keeping the normal order.
Change of ends: Teams switch sides every 6 points (e.g., 3–3, 6–6).
6) Winning the Match
A padel match is typically best of three sets.
The first team to win two sets wins the match.
Note: Local league or tournament regulations may specify different options (e.g., advantage scoring instead of Golden Point). Always check the competition rules.