By the MeetAndPlay editorial team · · 5 min read
The official rules say how a match is scored; etiquette says how it is lived. These are the agreements nobody explains but everybody notices when they are broken: turning up late, arguing every ball, staying on court after your time is up. If you play retas with people you do not know, etiquette is what gets you invited back. This guide collects the most important points for padel, tennis and pickleball.
Before you arrive
- Be on time, ideally ten minutes early. The court booking runs from the time on it, not from when you leave the locker room. In a four-player match, one late person costs three people their time.
- If you cannot make it, say so as early as you can. Notice hours ahead lets someone find a replacement; a last-minute message leaves a paid court and a short-handed game.
- Confirm the level. If the match is "intermediate" and you are just starting out (or the other way round), say so beforehand. Nobody is offended by honesty, and everybody is put out by a lopsided match.
- Agree how it is paid. The usual way is to split the court rental between everyone. Settling it first avoids awkward moments at the end. If you play regularly with the same group, it helps to agree a standing method so you do not repeat the conversation every week.
During the match
- Call balls honestly. In pickleball and tennis you call the balls that land on your side; when in doubt, the ball is good for your opponent.
- Announce the score before each serve. A score called out loud avoids "I thought it was 30-15".
- Do not coach unless asked. Correcting your partner's technique mid-match almost never helps. If you want to share a tip, wait until the end and ask whether they want to hear it.
- Encourage, do not scold. A "¡vamos!" after a mistake is worth more than any sign of frustration. Your partner already knows they missed. If you want to say something, make it about the next point: where to stand, who takes the ball down the middle or how you will serve.
- Mind your language and your racket. Throwing a paddle or hitting the walls scares the others and damages equipment and the court.
- Apologise when you hit someone. In padel the ball travels fast in an enclosed space: a sincere "sorry" closes the matter.
- No smashes at faces. If your opponent is at the net and unprotected, aim elsewhere. Targeting a person is not tactics, it is disrespect.
Playing across levels
When you play with someone of a lower level, adjust the intensity: longer rallies, fewer put-away smashes, more balls to areas where they can respond. When you play with someone better, do not apologise for every error: you are there to learn, and everybody knows it. A reta is for enjoying yourself, not for humiliating anyone. Often the best player on court is also the one who looks after the rhythm of the match, because they understand that a good time for all four is worth more than winning by a mile.
Sharing the court and the space
- Respect the time. When your slot ends, pick up your things and free the court. Others are waiting and their booking is running too. If the match finished early, offer the spare time to whoever is waiting instead of leaving the court empty.
- On courts with a queue, respect the order. Do not stay for "one more game" if people are waiting.
- Cross behind the courts, not through them. In pickleball and tennis, wait for the point to end before walking behind the baseline.
- Return balls that reach your court. If a ball rolls over from another court, pass it back carefully or wait until the point is over.
- Leave everything clean. Cans, bottles, towels and overgrip tape go in the bin, not on the bench.
After the match
- Always say hello and goodbye. A handshake or a paddle tap over the net closes the match well, win or lose.
- Win with humility, lose with an appetite for a rematch. Nobody wants to play with someone who boasts or makes excuses.
- Invite the group to the next one. Many court friendships start with "shall we play next week?".
The WhatsApp group case
Reta groups work better with clear rules: a cut-off time to confirm, one person who builds the pairs, and the habit of saying so when somebody drops out. If you organise the match, tell the others as soon as it is full so nobody keeps waiting. And if the group is large, name a backup player to cover last-minute cancellations.
Frequently asked questions
- What do I do if an opponent argues every ball?
- Stay calm and offer to replay the point if the doubt is genuine. If it becomes a habit, it is fair to finish the match politely and not play with that person again.
- Is it OK to cancel on the same day?
- Sometimes it is unavoidable, but say so as early as you can and, if possible, suggest someone to replace you. It is the simplest way to look after the relationship with the group.
- Who calls the balls in padel?
- Because the walls and the net change the play, doubts are settled between the two pairs in good faith. When in doubt, the point is replayed or given to the opponent.