How to Play Padel

Padel Guide: How to Play · Shots Explained · Glossary

Padel is a doubles racket sport played on an enclosed court about a third the size of a tennis court. Think tennis meets squash: tennis scoring, but the walls are part of the game. It's easy to pick up in your first session and takes years to master.

â–¶ Watch: Padel rules explained in under 5 minutes

The court

  • Size: 20m long by 10m wide, split in half by a net (88cm high in the middle, 92cm at the posts).
  • Walls: glass back walls and glass at the back of each side wall. The rest is metal mesh (the fence).
  • Lines: a service line about 7m from the net on each side, and a centre line that splits each half into two service boxes.
  • Surface: sand-filled artificial turf.

What you need

  • A padel racket: solid, no strings, with a perforated face and a foam or rubber (EVA) core. The wrist strap must be worn at all times. Not sure which one suits you? Take our Racket Fitting quiz or read our racket guide.
  • Padel balls: similar to tennis balls but slightly lower pressure, so they bounce less.
  • Shoes: padel or clay-court shoes with a herringbone sole. Running shoes slip on sand-filled turf.

Scoring

Scoring is the same as tennis.

  • Points: 0 (love), 15, 30, 40, game.
  • Deuce: at 40-40 you play advantage, or many games use a golden point: the next point wins the game and the receiving team chooses which side to receive on.
  • Sets: first to 6 games, winning by 2. At 6-6 you play a tiebreak (first to 7 points, winning by 2).
  • Match: usually best of three sets. Swap ends after every odd-numbered game.

â–¶ Watch: Padel scoring explained

The serve

  • Stand behind the service line, between the centre line and the side wall.
  • Bounce the ball, then hit it underarm, at or below waist height.
  • Serve diagonally into your opponent's service box. The ball must bounce in that box.
  • After bouncing in the box it can hit the glass and still be good. If it hits the mesh after bouncing, it's a fault.
  • If the serve clips the net and lands in the box, it's a let: serve again.
  • You get two attempts. Start each game serving from the right and alternate sides every point.
  • The receiver must let the serve bounce before hitting it.

â–¶ Watch: How to play the perfect padel serve

How a rally works

  • The ball can bounce once on your side before you hit it, or you can volley it before it bounces (except on the serve return).
  • After it bounces, the ball can come off any wall on your side and you can still play it. This is what makes padel unique.
  • You can hit the ball into your own walls to get it back over the net.
  • Your shot must clear the net and bounce on the ground on the other side before it touches their walls or fence.
  • Only one player per team hits the ball each time.

You lose the point if

  • the ball bounces twice on your side;
  • your shot hits the net and stays on your side, or goes straight into the opponents' glass or fence without bouncing;
  • the ball hits you or your partner;
  • you or your racket touch the net or net posts;
  • you hit the ball before it has crossed to your side of the net.

On courts with open exits at the sides, you can run outside the court to chase a ball and play it back in.

Positioning

  • Sides: one player plays the right side (drive side), the other the left side (backhand or reves side). For right-handers, the left-side player usually takes more overheads down the middle.
  • The net wins points: both players at the net is the attacking position. Both back near the glass is defence.
  • Move as a pair: picture a rope tying you together. Go forward together, drop back together.
  • The lob is your way in: a good lob over the net players pushes them back and lets you take the net.

â–¶ Watch: Padel tactics, moving as a pair

Tips for your first games

  • Let it come off the glass. Beginners rush the ball. Waiting for the rebound buys you time.
  • Keep swings short. Compact strokes beat big tennis swings in a small court.
  • Lob more than you think. It's the most important shot in padel.
  • Talk to your partner. Call "mine", "yours" and "wall".
  • Play the right racket. A round, softer racket is more forgiving while you learn.

Try before you buy

Every player feels a racket differently. DemoPadel lets you play with premium rackets on court before you commit. Find a DemoPadel location or get matched to a racket.

Next: Padel Shots Explained →