Double Fault (Padel Serve)
Also known as: double fault, double faulting, double-fault, padel double fault, double faults in padel, two service faults
To stop double faulting, play a safer second serve: take pace off, aim well inside the box and choose placement over power. Use the same controlled bounce in front of you every time, and hit the ball at or just below waist height, not down by your knees. Pause before each serve to pick a target instead of rushing. Under FIP rules, two service faults in a row lose the point.
Under FIP rules, you get two serves. If the first is a fault, you serve again, and a second fault in a row loses the point. A serve is a fault if it lands outside the diagonal service box (the lines are good), if you miss the ball, or if it hits you or your partner. It is also a fault if it bounces in the box and then touches the metal fence before its second bounce. Breaking the serving rules counts as a fault too. That includes standing outside your serving area, touching the lines with your feet, letting the bounce cross the service line, or hitting the ball above waist height or with both feet off the ground.
A serve that clips the net and lands in the box is not a fault. It is played again, unless it then touches the fence. If this happens on your second serve, you replay only the second serve.
Common causes of double faults include rushing, hitting the second serve as hard as the first and adding heavy sidespin. Many players also drop the ball too low and hit it near their knees, which costs control. A medium-paced serve, mostly slice, placed with intent is enough to start the point well and get you to the net.
Build a short routine. Point your feet toward your target, take a breath, bounce the ball in front of you and serve. On the second serve, keep the same routine but take pace off and aim further inside the lines. In practice, hit baskets of second serves to a target until they land in reliably.
Tips by skill level
Use one simple serve for both serves: a medium-paced slice into the middle of the box. Bounce the ball in front of you and strike it around waist height.
Track your first serves in and your double faults in practice matches. If double faults creep up under pressure, slow your routine down and aim your second serve at a bigger target.
Example
A player double faults twice in one game by hitting hard, flat second serves. She switches to a slower slice second serve aimed at the middle of the box, with the same bounce every time, and holds her next service game.
Why it matters
Each double fault hands the other pair a free point and gives away the net position the serving pair usually gets. A reliable second serve keeps your service games under control.
Common mistakes
- Hitting the second serve as hard as the first
- Dropping the ball too low and making contact near the knees
- Rushing the serve after losing a point
- Changing the bounce and routine from serve to serve
- Adding heavy sidespin you can't control
Frequently asked questions
Why do I keep double faulting in padel?
Common causes are rushing, hitting the second serve too hard. This adds too much spin and dropping the ball so low that you hit it near your knees. A slower routine, a controlled bounce and a safer second serve usually help.
What counts as a service fault in padel?
Under FIP rules, a serve is a fault if it lands outside the diagonal box, you miss the ball, it hits you or your partner, or it bounces in the box and then touches the metal fence. Breaking the serving rules, such as hitting above waist height, is a fault too.
Is a let a fault in padel?
No. A serve that touches the net and lands in the service box is played again, unless it then touches the metal fence before its second bounce. A let on the second serve replays only the second serve.
Is it a fault if I hit the serve above my waist?
Yes. Under FIP rules, the ball must be at or below waist height when you hit it, and you must have at least one foot on the ground.
Sources
- International Padel Federation (FIP) Rules of Padel, review of application 01.01.2026 — Rule 6 (The Serve: second service; points 1–6), printed p. 14; Rule 7.1 (Serve Fault) and Rule 9 (net and let serves), p. 15; Rule 13.1.q (two consecutive serve faults lose the point), p. 17
- The Padel School — How to Improve Your Padel Serve: 6 Simple Tips to Win More Points (consistency over power, controlled bounce, waist-height contact, avoid rushing, pick a target)
Related terms
- ServeThe padel serve is an underarm delivery. The ball is bounced once and struck at or below waist height into the diagonal service box — making placement and net advancement far more important than pace.
- Second ServeThe Second Serve in padel is the backup delivery after a fault — more rotation, less pace and more margin. As a result, it lands in the box while still troubling the receiver.
- Serve PlacementServe Placement in padel is the deliberate targeting of specific zones within the service box. The T, the wide corner, or the body — to create the weakest possible return and set up an easy net volley.
- Slice ServeA Slice Serve in padel is an underarm serve hit with sidespin. The ball curves in the air, then skids low and wide off the bounce, drawing the receiver out of position.
- Beginner Rule Confusion: Serve Bounce RuleIn padel, the server stands behind the service line, bounces the ball once on their own side, then hits it at or below waist height. It is not tossed and hit in the air like tennis.
- Service BoxThe Service Box is the rectangular area diagonally opposite the server into which the underarm padel serve must land after one bounce — with pace blunted by the walls, placement beats power. This makes slice and kick serves especially effective.
Related guides & benchmarks
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