How to play padel: a beginner's guide

If you have never played padel, this is the best time to start. It is the fastest-growing racket sport in Mexico, you can pick it up in a few sessions and, because it is played in pairs inside an enclosed court, from day one you spend your time hitting the ball instead of chasing it. This guide takes you from zero to your first full match.

What you need on day one

The barrier to entry is low. Almost every club rents rackets and sells balls, so you do not need to buy anything to try it.

• Racket: if you buy one, choose a round shape, medium weight and low balance. It forgives off-centre hits and protects your elbow. Our racket guide has the details.
• Balls: they look like tennis balls but carry slightly less pressure. A tube holds three.
• Shoes: wear padel shoes or clay-court tennis shoes with a herringbone sole. Running shoes slip on artificial grass and are the number one cause of twisted ankles.
• Comfortable clothes, a cap and water: in Cancún, Mérida or Monterrey the heat is serious, and many people play early in the morning or at night.

Your position on court

Padel is a game of pairs and positions. Each player covers their half of the court lengthwise: one plays the right side (the "drive" side) and the other the left side (the "backhand" side). The left-side player usually hits most of the smashes, because their forehand faces the whole court.

During a point the pair moves together, as if tied by a rope:

• At the back, near the wall, to defend. From there you let the ball pass, wait for the rebound and return it calmly.
• At the net, about two metres from it, to attack. From there you volley and smash.

The beginner's golden rule: both at the back, or both at the net. If one moves up while the other stays back, a diagonal gap opens and your opponents will find it.

The basic shots

You do not need a huge repertoire to have fun. With these five shots you can play a whole match:

• Forehand and backhand from the back: short, controlled strokes with the arm almost straight and the racket in front. Padel does not need the big tennis swing; the court is small and the wall sends the ball back.
• Volley: at the net you block the ball before it bounces, with a firm racket and a short movement. Aim at your opponents' feet or down the middle.
• Lob: a high ball over your opponents when they are at the net, forcing them back. It is the most important shot in amateur padel.
• Bandeja: an overhead shot with slice and moderate pace, used to answer a lob without giving up the net.
• Smash: the big overhead. Save it for easy balls; plenty of points are lost by trying to smash everything.

How to use the walls

The wall is your friend, but at first it is intimidating. The trick is to let the ball come off the wall and hit it when it is already travelling towards you.

• Back wall: take a step forward and slightly to the side, let the ball pass, wait for the rebound and hit it as it drops to waist height.
• Side wall: the ball comes off at a different angle; turn sideways and let it come to you.
• Double wall: the ball hits the back wall and then the side wall, or the other way round. It is harder; at first it is enough to send it back as a lob.

Practise with a friend feeding you balls against the back wall. In ten minutes you will feel the difference.

Your first match: serve and scoring

The serve is underarm: bounce the ball behind the service line, hit it at waist height or below and send it diagonally into the opposite box. You get two attempts. Scoring is the same as in tennis (15, 30, 40, game) and sets are played to six games. Our padel rules guide covers everything in detail, including the golden point.

Typical beginner mistakes

• Hitting too hard. In padel the pair that makes fewer mistakes wins. A slow, well-placed ball is worth more than a rocket.
• Hitting the ball before it comes off the wall. Be patient: if you let it rebound, you gain time.
• Standing in mid-court. It is no man's land: balls arrive at your feet. Choose the back or the net.
• Not talking to your partner. A timely "yours" or "mine" avoids collisions and balls that fly through the middle untouched.
• Forgetting the lob. When in doubt, lob. It is almost always the right choice.

Lessons, pick-up games and open matches

The fastest way to improve is to combine all three. A few lessons with a coach teach you technique and positions from the start, before bad habits set in. Pick-up games (in Mexico, a reta) and social matches give you hours of play with people at your level. And your club's americanas are the best way to meet lots of players in a single afternoon.

On MeetAndPlay you can set your level with a short questionnaire and join open matches with people like you. That way you avoid the classic first match against three players who have been on court for ten years.

How long it takes to learn

With one or two sessions a week, most people can keep a rally going and enjoy real matches within the first month. Getting comfortable off the back wall and mastering the bandeja takes a few more months. The best thing about padel is that it is fun from the very first day, and that is what keeps people coming back.