Padel borrows its scoring from tennis and almost nothing else. The walls are in play, the serve is underarm, and the return of serve cannot be volleyed. If you already play tennis, those three differences are most of what you need to unlearn. This guide covers the official rules as set by the International Padel Federation, with the numbers that matter.
The court
A regulation padel court is a 20 metre by 10 metre rectangle, measured inside the enclosure. It is fully enclosed: the end walls are typically 3 metres of solid wall topped by 1 metre of metallic fence, giving 4 metres of playable height at the back. The net runs the full 10 metre width at 0.88 metres high in the centre and 0.92 metres at the ends.
Padel is played as doubles. Singles courts exist but are rare, and the doubles game is what almost everyone means by padel.
Scoring
Points run 15, 30, 40, game, exactly as in tennis. From there:
- A set is the first pair to six games with a margin of two. At 5-5 the set continues to 7-5.
- At 6-6 a tie-break is played, first to seven points by a margin of two.
- A standard match is the best of three sets.
At 40-40 there are two accepted formats. Traditional advantage scoring plays on until one pair leads by two points. Golden point, now standard on the professional tour and increasingly common at club level, decides the game on a single point, with the receiving pair choosing which side receives it. Check which your club or league uses before you play a competitive match.
The serve
This is where padel diverges hardest from tennis, and where most new players give away points.
- The serve is underarm. The ball must be struck at or below waist height.
- The server stands behind the service line and must bounce the ball once on their own side before hitting it.
- At least one foot must remain on the ground during the serve.
- The serve goes diagonally, from the server's right box into the receiver's left box, then alternating sides each point.
- Each point allows two attempts. Two faults is a double fault and the point is lost.
- A serve that clips the net and lands in the correct box is a let, and is replayed.
A serve is a fault if the ball lands outside the correct service box, or if it touches the metallic fence before the second bounce. That last one catches people: a serve can land legally in the box and still be a fault if it then hits the mesh on the full.
Returning serve
The return of serve cannot be volleyed. The receiver has to let the ball bounce in the service box, then return it before it bounces a second time. Every other shot in the rally can be volleyed.
Playing the walls
The walls are the reason padel exists as its own sport, and there is one rule that governs all of it.
The ball must bounce on the floor first. Once it has bounced on your side of the court, it may then hit your walls, the metallic mesh, the net or the posts, and you may still play it, provided you return it before the second bounce. Using your own back wall to bring the ball back into play is a standard defensive shot and a large part of what makes long rallies possible.
What you cannot do is hit a return that reaches the opponents' wall or fence without bouncing on their floor first. That loses the point immediately, and it is the most common wall mistake new players make.
How points are lost
- The ball bounces twice on your side.
- Your return hits the opponents' wall or fence before bouncing on their floor.
- Your shot lands outside the court, or in the net.
- You volley the return of serve.
- The ball touches you or your clothing.
- You touch the net, the posts or the opponents' side of the court.
- You hit the ball twice, or both partners hit it.
Playing the ball outside the court
Some courts have side openings, and in certain circumstances a player may leave the court to play a ball that has gone out. This is only permitted where the access, run-off and safety conditions allow it and where the competition or club rules authorise it. Many club courts are fully enclosed, in which case it does not arise. It is worth asking rather than assuming.
The shots worth learning first
| Bandeja | A sliced overhead played from mid-court to keep the point neutral and hold your position at the net. The defining shot of the sport. |
| Vibora | A more aggressive sliced overhead with heavy sidespin, hit to move the opponents out of position. |
| Lob | The primary attacking shot from the back of the court, used to push the opposing pair off the net. |
| Wall defence | Letting the ball pass you, bounce off the glass, and hitting it on the way back. Counter-intuitive and essential. |
Padel is easy to start and slow to master mainly because of the walls. A few lessons early are worth more here than in most racket sports, because wall play is difficult to work out unaided and awkward to unlearn.
Common questions
Is padel the same as pickleball? No. Different court, different equipment, different rules. Padel is played on an enclosed 20 by 10 metre court with walls in play and tennis scoring. Pickleball is played on a smaller open court with a perforated plastic ball and its own scoring.
Can I use a tennis racket? No. Padel rackets are solid, stringless, perforated and shorter, with a mandatory wrist strap. A tennis racket is not legal equipment.
Do I need to serve overarm ever? No. All serves are underarm at or below waist height.
Can the ball hit the wall on the way over the net? No. Your shot must clear the net and land in the opponents' court before touching anything else.
Is padel played as singles? Almost always doubles. Singles courts are narrower and uncommon.
Where these rules come from
The authority is the International Padel Federation, and its published rulebook is the reference for court dimensions, scoring options and serve regulations. Club and league rules occasionally differ on golden point and on playing outside the court, so check locally before a competitive match.
Prime Padel Shop is a US padel specialist shipping from Texas. If you are getting started, our guides to what gear you actually need and the best beginner rackets cover the equipment side.