New to padel

How to play padel: the rules in five minutes

Padel is scored like tennis, played two against two on a small enclosed court, and the walls are part of the game. This is everything you need for your first booking.

The court

20 metres long, 10 wide, enclosed by glass and mesh, with a net across the middle. Each half has two service boxes. Always doubles: two a side.

NET GLASS MESH SERVICE LINE SERVICE BOX SERVICE BOX CENTRELINE 10 m 20 m LONG

The racket is solid with holes and no strings, and it has a wrist strap. Wear it. The balls look like tennis balls but have a little less pressure.

Scoring

Points go up exactly as in tennis. Win four points, two clear, and that is a game.

0love
15
30
40
GAME
40-40

Golden point: next point wins the game. The receivers choose who receives.

6 games

wins a set, two clear. At 6-6 a tie-break: first to 7, two clear.

Best of 3

sets wins the match. Change ends after every odd game.

The serve

SERVER behind the line LAND HERE RECEIVER lets it bounce 1 BOUNCE · 2 HIT BELOW THE WAIST · 3 DIAGONAL
STEP 1Bounce itStand behind the service line, both feet down, and bounce the ball once.
STEP 2Hit underarmStrike the ball at or below your waist. You get two serves, like tennis.
STEP 3DiagonalInto the opposite service box. Off the side glass after the bounce is fine; into the mesh is a fault.

A serve that clips the net and lands in the box is a let: serve again. The receiver must let the serve bounce; it cannot be volleyed.

The walls

This is what makes padel padel. The ball can come off the glass and still be in play, as long as it bounced on the ground first.

GLASS NET
Bounce, then the glass: still in play

The ball may bounce once on the ground and then come off the back or side glass. Play it after the wall; a second bounce on the ground loses the point.

GLASS NET
Glass before the bounce: out

On your opponents' side the ball must hit the ground before any wall or mesh. Straight onto their glass or fence on the full is a lost point.

GLASS NET
Your own glass to send it back: allowed

You can play the ball against your own glass and let it fly over the net. Into your own mesh first is a fault.

You may volley anything except the serve. A ball that touches the net during a rally and drops over is good.

What loses a point

Two bouncesThe ball bounces twice on your side of the net.
Ball hits youOr your partner, or their racket, before it is returned.
Into the netOr out of the court through an opening.
Their wall on the fullYour shot reaches the opponents' glass or mesh before bouncing.
Touching the netYou or your racket touch the net or posts during the point.
Over the netReaching over to hit the ball. Following through after contact on your side is fine.
The ceilingThe ball hits the lights, the roof or anything above the court.
Own mesh firstHitting the ball into your own metal mesh before it crosses.

Playing the walls well

Etiquette and safety

Wait for your timeStay outside until the previous booking's time is up. Never walk behind a court in play.
Call it honestlyCall the lines on your own side and say the score aloud before each serve.
Everyone servesBoth players on a pair serve and receive. Agree the order at the start of each set.
Strap onWear the wrist strap. A racket into the glass or your partner ends more games than any rule.

Quick reference

How many players?Four, two a side, always doubles
How do I serve?Underarm, after one bounce, below the waist, diagonally
Can I volley the serve?No, let it bounce
Can the ball hit the glass?Yes, after bouncing on the ground first
Can the ball hit the mesh?Not on the full, and not on your own side before it crosses
What is golden point?At 40-40 the next point wins the game
When is a set won?Six games, two clear, or a tie-break at six all
What if it clips the net on a serve?A let if it lands in: serve again

More than four of you?

Americano, Mexicano, King of the Court and the other social formats are explained with diagrams on padel game formats, and the free games organiser draws the games and keeps the table on your phone.

Scoring your match

At venues that run on Court Intel, the page you open the door with also scores the match for you: points, games, sets and golden point, with the same score on every phone in the booking.

See how Court Intel works