Padel rules: the complete guide to playing your first match

Padel is quick to learn because it borrows from sports you already know: the net and the scoring of tennis, the walls of squash and the social side of a game that is almost always played in pairs. It still has rules of its own worth knowing before you step on court, especially around the serve and the walls. This guide summarises the rules of the International Padel Federation (FIP) as they are played at clubs in Mexico.

The court

A padel court is 20 metres long and 10 metres wide, and it is enclosed: the back and the sides have walls (tempered glass or concrete) topped by a metal mesh fence. The net crosses the middle of the court and stands 88 centimetres high in the centre, rising to 92 centimetres at the posts.

On each side of the net there is a service line 6.95 metres from the net, and a centre line that splits that area into two service boxes. Everything else — the walls, the mesh, the doors — is part of the game, and that is what makes padel fun.

• It is almost always played as doubles: two pairs, four players.
• Singles courts of 20 × 6 metres exist but are rare in Mexico.
• The racket (called a pala) has no strings, and the wrist strap is mandatory.

How scoring works

Scoring is the same as in tennis. Each game is counted 15, 30, 40, game. If both pairs reach 40 the score is deuce (in Mexico, iguales); from there you need two points in a row: the first gives advantage, the second wins the game.

Many clubs and amateur events use the golden point (punto de oro): at deuce a single deciding point is played, and the receiving pair chooses which side to receive on. It speeds matches up a lot, so agree on it before you start.

• A set is won at 6 games with a two-game margin (6-4, 7-5).
• At 6-6 a tie-break to 7 points is played, also won by two.
• Matches are usually best of three sets. In social games and short events the third set is often replaced by a super tie-break to 10 points.
• Pairs change ends whenever the total number of games in the set is odd (1, 3, 5…).

The serve

The serve causes more arguments than any other rule in a friendly game, so it pays to know it well:

• You serve underarm: bounce the ball behind the service line and strike it at waist height or below.
• At the moment of contact the server must have at least one foot on the ground and must not touch the service line or the centre line.
• The ball has to cross diagonally and bounce inside the opposite service box.
• After the bounce it may hit the glass back wall or side wall and is still good. If after the bounce it hits the metal mesh first, it is a fault.
• You have two attempts. Miss both and it is a double fault, point to the other pair.
• If the ball clips the net and lands in the correct box, the serve is replayed (a let), unless after bouncing it hits the mesh: then it is a fault.

The first serve of each game is taken from the right-hand side, and the side alternates every point. Within a pair, the two partners take turns to serve through the set, one game each.

The walls: what is allowed and what is not

Walls are what make padel different. The basic rule is simple: the ball must first bounce on the opponents' floor after crossing the net. Once it has bounced, it can hit any wall on that side and the opponents can still return it.

• You can let the ball bounce and come off your wall before you hit it, as in squash.
• You can also hit it against your own wall so it travels over the net. It is a very common defensive shot when the ball has passed you.
• If your shot hits the opponents' wall or mesh directly, without first bouncing on their floor, you lose the point.
• The ball may bounce only once on your side. Two bounces and the point is gone.
• You may volley (hit before the bounce) at any time, except on the return of serve, which must always be played after the bounce.

When you lose the point

Besides a double fault, a pair loses the point when:

• The ball bounces twice on their side.
• They hit the ball into the net, or out of the court without a bounce on the other side.
• Their shot hits the opponents' wall or mesh before bouncing on the floor.
• A player touches the net or the posts with their body or racket while the ball is in play.
• The ball hits a player (either member of the pair).
• A player hits the ball twice, or both partners hit it one after the other.
• A player invades the other side by going over or under the net.

Playing outside the court

Many courts have openings on each side of the net. When a smash bounces on your side and leaves the court over the wall or through the door, you may run out and play it back from outside, as long as the court allows it and the ball has not bounced outside. A smash that flies out over the side or back wall is called "por 3" or "por 4" in Spanish, and it is one of the most celebrated shots in any game.

Etiquette and unwritten rules

The rulebook does not cover everything. At Mexican clubs there are customs worth respecting:

• Call the score before you serve, especially in matches without an umpire.
• If a ball on your side is doubtful, the call is yours and it is made in good faith.
• If a ball from another court rolls onto yours, stop the point and replay it.
• Shake hands at the net at the end, win or lose.
• Respect the booking time: the next group is already waiting.

Keep learning

With these rules you are ready for your first match. If you do not have anyone to play with yet, MeetAndPlay lets you join an open match at your level in your city. And if a term sounds strange — bandeja, víbora, chiquita — check our padel glossary.