Padel Tennis Rules and Official Regulations

Padel is a racket sport played in pairs. Although it originated as a variation of tennis and squash, today it is a federated sport with its own official rules. Fortunately, it is very easy to learn, so you will have no problem joining the global community of players, both amateur and professional. In this guide, we explain in detail all the basic and official rules you need to know before stepping onto the court.

1. Number of Players

Padel is played in teams of two players. In other words, matches are always 2 x 2 or two against two. This is the official format and the most common in all competitions.

Although there are single courts designed for one-on-one matches, they are rarely used. These courts are usually used for training or recreational games, but individual matches are not allowed in official competitions.

2. How the Game Works

Padel is played on a court divided by a net into two halves. The main objective is to hit the ball with a racket to send it to the opposite side, ensuring that it touches the ground on the opponent's side before hitting any of the walls surrounding the court.

The padel court dimensions are 20 meters by 10 meters. Once the initial serve (which is the first move) has been made, the rules allow the ball to bounce off any wall after touching the ground once. The opposing team must return the ball before it bounces a second time in their playing area.

Matches are generally played to the best of three sets. In the event of a tie, the match is played to the best of five sets. Each set consists of six games. The scoring system is similar to that of tennis

Scoring in Padel

In padel games, the score is counted as follows: the first point is worth 15, the second 30, the third 40, and the fourth wins the game. However, if both teams reach 40 points in the same game, the tie is resolved by a golden point, and whoever wins it becomes the winning pair.

Points are scored in any of the following ways:

• Opponent's error: when the ball is not returned correctly (it does not pass the net, leaves the court, or falls outside the boundaries).
• Double bounce: if the ball bounces twice on the opponent's side of the court.
• Incorrect shot: if the ball bounces off a player's body or if the player touches the net with their racket or body.
• Ball out of bounds: if it is hit without touching the ground before hitting the walls or if it goes outside the court.
• Serving error: if the serve is missed twice in a row or the basic rules of serving are not followed.

Expert comment

Padel is easy to pick up partly because its rules are quite similar to tennis — the scoring system, the serve, and the basic gameplay feel familiar. But what really makes padel unique is how the walls come into play, similar to squash.

3. Serve Rules

The serve in padel has a specific technique that every player must know, as it marks the start of each point and can significantly influence the course of the game.

For a serve to be valid, the player must stand behind the service line, bounce the ball on the ground, and hit it as it falls, always below the waist and with the racket also below that level. The serve is made crosswise, i.e., from the right or left side to the opposite diagonal square.

When executing the serve, at least one foot must remain in contact with the ground and must not step on the service line. Each player has two attempts per point to make a correct serve.

A serve is considered invalid if the ball does not cross the net, if it does not bounce in the opponent's court, if it hits the net and does not fall in the service area, if it is made above the waist or without bouncing the ball before hitting it, or if the player steps on the line when serving.

Expert comment

Many beginner players make mistakes when serving by trying to hit too hard instead of prioritizing accuracy. A common example is those who, in their first official matches, serve above the allowed height or miss both consecutive attempts. In these cases, adjusting your stance, staying calm, and focusing on hitting a well-defined area of the court can make all the difference.

4. Basic Violations

As in any sport, even experienced players can make mistakes. In padel, some violations occur frequently, at both beginner and advanced levels. These are the most common in an average match:

• Foot faults during serve: the server must keep at least one foot on the ground and behind the service line when hitting the ball. Stepping on or over the line is a fault. Two faults in a row result in the loss of the point.
• Incorrect serve execution: the ball must be bounced on the ground and struck below waist level. Serving above the waist or hitting the ball without a bounce is considered a fault.
• Ball contact with walls before the ground: after a shot, the ball must first bounce on the opponent's court before hitting any walls. If it touches a wall (side or back) before hitting the floor, the point is lost.
• Double bounce: the ball may only bounce once on each side. If it bounces twice before being returned, the point goes to the other team.
• Touching the net: players must not touch the net, net posts, or any part of the opponent's side of the court with their body, racket, or clothing during play.
• Crossing the net: players are not allowed to cross the net plane, either over or under it, even after hitting the ball, unless the ball has already bounced on their side and spun back.
• Hitting the ball twice: a legal shot must involve only one contact with the racket. Hitting the ball twice (intentionally or unintentionally) is a violation.
• Obstructing the opponent: any physical interference or deliberate distraction (e.g., shouting or body movements meant to disturb) is considered a rule violation.
• Wrong service box: serves must be made diagonally into the correct service box. A serve that lands outside the service box is a fault.
• Delay of game: excessive delays between points or games can be penalized by the umpire, especially in tournament play.

Keep in mind: In casual games, some of these rules might be overlooked, but in official matches, breaking them can easily cost you the point—or even the game.

5. Special Point Situations

Although the rules of padel are fairly simple, there are special situations that can be a little more difficult to understand and learn. However, they are part of the sport and are nothing that cannot be mastered with practice. They are as follows:

• The golden point: this is a way of breaking a tie when the score reaches 40-40. It is a way of speeding up matches in more complex tournaments. This rule is equivalent to sudden death in other sports, and the team that wins the next point is the winner.
• Match point: this is the name given to the last point a team needs to win a game.
• Set point: this is similar to match point, but it is the point that decides the winner of a set.
• The break point: this is a point that is won by the team that is losing the game and allows them to break the other pair's serve.
• The advantage point: if the golden point is not used in the event of a tie, the advantage point rule is used, and it is won by the pair that scores first and, if they win the next point, wins the game.

From Rules to Rally — Now it's Your Move!

Now that you've got the rules down, it's time to take them to the court. Padel is easy to pick up, which has helped it grow a lot in popularity over recent years and once you've played a few times, the rules start to feel natural. You'll find yourself focusing more on strategy and fun rather than just remembering what's allowed.

To get started, you don't need much—just the right gear: a good padel racket, some padel balls, padel shoes with solid grip, and comfortable clothing that lets you move freely. You can find all of it at Padel100, ready to help you jump into your padel matches!