Padel Rules

Padel is nearly always doubles, two against two. Each pair covers its half of the court, usually one player on the left and one on the right. Singles exists, but you'll rarely see it on a standard court.

The court is 10 × 20 metres, with a net 88 centimetres high across the middle. It's enclosed on all sides. Each half has a service line and a centre line, which mark out the service boxes.

Behind each baseline is three metres of glass with a metre of mesh on top. Along the sides there's glass in the back corners and mesh in the middle. The walls are part of the game. If the ball bounces and then hits a wall, play goes on.

One. You can play the ball out of the air, after the bounce, or after the bounce and a rebound off a wall. But always before it hits the floor a second time.

Just like tennis: 15, 30, 40, game. The first pair to win four points takes the game.

At 40–40 it’s deuce. Win the next point and you have advantage. Win the one after and the game is yours. Lose it and you’re back to deuce.

A set goes to the first pair to win six games by two. At 6–6 you play a tie-break to seven points. Most matches are best of three sets.

There are three ways to settle a game at 40–40: classic advantage, the golden point or the star point. Agree before you start which one you’re playing.

The serve is underarm. Drop the ball so it bounces once behind the service line, then hit it after the bounce. When you make contact, the ball must be at or below your waist.

Stand behind the service line, between the centre line and the side wall. Don't touch the lines. Keep at least one foot on the ground when you hit. No walking or jumping.

Serve diagonally into your opponent's service box. The ball must land there, and the lines count as in. Every game starts on the right. Switch sides after each point.

You get two serves per point. Miss both and the point goes to your opponents. If the ball clips the net and lands in the right box, it's a let. You take the serve again and it doesn't count as an attempt.

No. If your serve lands in the box and then hits the mesh, it's a fault. Hitting the glass after the bounce is fine. The ball stays in play.

No. The receiver has to let the serve bounce. After that you can volley whenever you like, a bandeja or a smash included.

If the ball lands on your opponents' side and then hits the glass or the mesh, it's still in play. They can return it off the rebound. That's called salida de pared.

You can also hit the ball into your own glass so it bounces back over the net. It just has to reach the other side without touching the floor on yours again.

Sometimes the ball leaves the court after the bounce, for example after a por tres smash. The point goes to whoever hit it, unless the other pair manages to return it from outside.

If your shot hits the glass or the mesh on your opponents' side before it bounces, it's your fault. Same if the ball lands on your own side, goes into the net, or flies out of the court without bouncing.