Padel Rules for Beginners
Also known as: basic padel rules, padel rules explained, rules of padel, beginner padel rules, simple padel rules
Padel is played in pairs on an enclosed court, and scoring follows tennis. Serve underarm after one bounce behind the service line, diagonally into the opposite box. In a rally, your shot must land in the opponents' court before it touches their walls. After that bounce it may come off the walls and still be played.
The server stands behind the service line, between the center line and the side wall. They bounce the ball in that area and hit it at or below waist height, with at least one foot on the ground. The ball must not cross the service line before it is hit. The serve must land in the diagonal service box. It may then hit the glass, but not the metal mesh, before its second bounce. You get two serves. A serve that touches the net and lands in is replayed, unless it then hits the mesh.
The receiver must let the serve bounce before returning it. After that, players may volley or play the ball off the bounce. You may hit the ball against your own walls to get it over the net. Your shot must bounce in the opponents' court before touching their walls or mesh. Once it has bounced there, it stays in play off any wall or the mesh. The point ends when the ball bounces twice, goes into the net or hits their walls before bouncing.
Points go 15, 30, 40, game. A set is first to 6 games by 2, with a tie-break at 6-6, and a match is best of three sets. At deuce, events use advantage, the Star Point or the Golden Point. Players change ends after the first, third and every following odd game of a set. You also lose the point if you touch the net, hit the ball twice or drop your racket.
Tips by skill level
Remember two rules first. Serve underarm after a bounce. Your shot must bounce on their side before it hits their walls.
Learn the edge cases early. A serve that bounces in the box and then hits the mesh is a fault. In a rally, a ball off the mesh after a bounce is still live.
Example
Two beginners serve from behind the service line, bounce the ball and hit it underarm crosscourt. The return comes off the back glass and their partner plays it as it comes out. The point ends when a ball bounces twice.
Why it matters
A few rules make padel different from tennis: the underarm serve, the walls and the mesh. Knowing them lets you play your first match without arguments.
Common mistakes
- Serving with an overhead tennis motion
- Hitting the ball into the opponents' glass before it bounces
- Thinking the ball is dead once it touches a wall
- Touching the net during a rally
Frequently asked questions
What are the basic rules of padel?
Padel is played in pairs, and scoring follows tennis. Serve underarm after a bounce behind the service line into the diagonal box. In a rally, your shot must bounce in the opponents' court before it touches their walls. After that it can be played off any wall.
Can you hit the ball off your own wall in padel?
Yes. You may hit the ball against the walls on your own side to send it over the net. It must then bounce in the opponents' court before touching their walls or mesh.
Can you touch the net in padel?
No. If you, your racket or your clothing touches the net or the net posts while the ball is in play, you lose the point.
What happens if the ball hits a player in padel?
If your own shot touches you or your partner, you lose the point. If your shot hits an opponent before it bounces, your side wins the point.
Sources
Related terms
- Padel Scoring SystemPadel uses the same point, game, and set structure as tennis. That means 15, 30, 40, game, best of three sets, with a tiebreak at 6 games all. The common difference is how deuce is played. The FIP rules allow advantage scoring, Star Point (two chances at advantage, then a deciding point) or the Golden Point (one deciding point at 40–40).
- 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.
- Beginner Rule Confusion: Can the Ball Hit the Wall FirstNo. During a rally, a ball crossing to your side of the court must bounce once on the ground before it can legally touch a wall. If the opponents' shot hits your back or side glass before bouncing on your court, they lose the point.
- 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.
- Court EnclosureThe Court Enclosure is the full perimeter structure of a padel court — glass walls at the back and sides, metal fencing above and at certain sections — which defines the unique enclosed environment that makes wall play possible.
- Golden Ball – Punto de OroThe Golden Ball (Punto de Oro) is a sudden-death deciding point played when a game reaches deuce (40–40). The receiving pair chooses which player will receive the serve.
Related guides & benchmarks
Have a question about this?
There is nothing here to film. Ask SwingVantage a follow-up question, or keep reading the related terms above.