What Are The Basic Padel Rules? Learn How To Play Padel Tennis

Padel is a sport that involves a tennis-like racket and is always played in a doubles basket-shaped court. It is similar to tennis and squash; however, unlike tennis the ball in padel may bounce against a glass wall or metallic cage encompassing the court. 

Padel is growing as a recreational activity. Mastering the legalities of this game is mandatory for anyone to appreciate this entertaining sportfully. 

In this post, we’ll go over the padel rules so you can pick up the game quickly and easily. It would be advisable to start playing this sport sooner rather than later because it is rapidly rising to the top of global competition. 

So, are you ready to learn the padel tennis rules? Let´s start the game. 

Padel Rules Explained: 

If you are just starting to play padel, you need to know about the padel tennis rules. No need to worry; we are here to help you tailor a winning strategy. 

Padel is played exclusively in doubles on a particular Padel tennis court. Like tennis, it is divided by a net into two playing sides; however, the court is closed with glass walls, a metal cage, and doors, something you can recognize if you know squash.

Below is a set of padel rules that every player of padel tennis should understand. 

Padel Service Rules 

To serve in padel tennis, stand behind the line that separates the court and hit the ball diagonally toward the opposite service box. The ball has to bounce before you hit it, and you can only serve underarm. 

If you place the ball in the service box and it bounces and touches the fence, that is considered a fault. The point is live if the ball hits the back wall. 

Each team serves for an entire game, one after the other. 

 Padel Tie-Break Rules 

• When both teams get to level 6 all games, a “tie-break” is played.
• The “tie-break” is won by the team that gets 7 points first and has a minimum 2-point lead.
• The first service in a tie-break is served by the team that would have served in a normal order, and they only serve once from the right-hand side of the court. The service then goes to the opponents, who will serve for two consecutive points, but their serve will be taken from the left side of the service court.
• Players switch after every 6 points. The tiebreak continues until the two teams have a clear 2-point lead.
• When the ‘tie-break’ ends, the winners take the set 7-6(tie-break points).

Padel Rules For The Walls

• One important rule for padel court walls is that the ball must never hit it directly. According to this rule, the ball must always bounce the court before it hits the wall.
• There are shots you can try to use the walls to your advantage. It is possible to volley and bounce the ball against the wall, then hit it back to your opponent or towards the wall to land on the opponent’s side of the court.
• In a rally, you can place your shots so that they backfire on the cage and thus present a very complex shot for your opponents to negotiate. 
• But you can’t hit the ball against the cage on your side of the court.

Padel Point Rules

Padel, in turn, has the same scoring system as tennis. The players play six games to win the set, and a match consists of the best of three sets. When 6-6 is reached in a set, it leads to a tie-break game of up to 7 points.

Point scoring within a game is the same as tennis (15-0 and so on).

When the ball is in play, all shots that pass over the net must touch the ground in the opponent’s area before touching a glass or the wall. To score a point in padel, one of the following situations must occur:

• The ball bounces twice in the other team’s half of the field.
• An opponent loses a point when the ball contacts their body.
• If it bounces off the court and flies out of the field, you win the point on the opponent’s side of the field.
• A player inadvertently comes into contact with the ball more than once with the racket and loses the point.

How Long Does a Padel Match Last?

The average time a padel match takes is around 90 minutes; however, in several instances, it is not achievable as the players reach parities; thus, they must play until one of the two pairs secures two sets.

Padel Court Rules

Check out the characteristics of a padel court below!

Dimensions

• According to the padel tennis rules, the court is a rectangle 10 meters wide by 20 meters long (interior measurement) with a 0.5% tolerance.
• A net in the middle separates this rectangle court. The service lines are on either side of the court and parallel to the padel tennis net at a distance of 6.95 m. The area between the net and the clamps at both ends of the service lines is split by a line parallel to the net referred to as the central service line. The central service line will be paralleled by an extrusion of the same length of 20 cm. 
• Regarding surface and line layout, the two halves of the court should reflect an identical picture. The width of all lines is mandatory: 5cm. The lines should preferably be white or black because they should differ in color from the floor.

Surface

• The height of the court should be at most 6 meters at any part of the court.
• This area is not enclosed by elements (i.e., spotlights).
• For the new facilities, the minimum free height throughout the court is suggested to be 8 meters, with no obstruction in this area.

What Are The Different Types Of Shots In Padel?

• Volley are played around the net. The player does not allow the ball to touch the ground but hits it while in the air. They help secure a point at the end of a rally.
• A smash is a hard-hitting “kill shot” hit near or across the net to end a rally, usually done by hitting downwards in the opponent’s court.
• The lob is another significant shot in Padel, which cannot be overstated. Its objective is to tactfully shift the game’s balance and move your opponent back as it seeks to change the tempo of the rally. This advantageous move increases the probability of winning essential points in the game.

How To Play Padel Singles

The padel rules of singles are almost similar to those of doubles, the only main distinction being that a single player plays on a single court.

Rules of Padel Singles

The significant difference is that an individual player is on each side of the net during the game. The following are some of the critical rules of padel singles:

• Scoring: The scoring in padel singles is similar to that in padel doubles: the first player to reach six games wins the set. If the score is equal to six games, the match is scheduled for a tiebreaker to determine the winner.
• Serving: The server must remain behind the baseline and strike underhand at the ball to begin the point. The serve is correct when it touches the diagonal box formed on the opponent’s side of the playing court.
• Return of Serve: The ball has to bounce once before the opponent can return the server; this is referred to as a one-bounce return. The point is lost if a returner touches the ball before it touches the ground.
• Court Dimensions: The court for padel singles is different from the court for padel doubles. It is twenty meters long and six meters wide.

How To Play Padel Doubles

If you have ever been engaged in padel doubles, you realize how important it is to always respond to your partner in court. Here are some critical padel tennis rules to play padel double:

• In padel doubles, all players start with an underarm serve delivered diagonally across the opponent’s court, like in tennis.
• Both feet shall be behind the baseline while serving, and one foot must touch the ground when hitting the serve.
• If the ball touches either the side or the back wall of the service box during the serve, then the serve is correctly served, and the opponent shall attempt to make the return.
• If the ball touches the net and lands on the court for a serve, it is scored as a let.
• When the ball bounces into the service box and touches the wire fencing, the court rules that as a fault.
• Just like in tennis, you get a second service.

How To Learn To Play Padel

Want to learnd how to play padel? Here’s some advice we found helpful in our own journey:

Watch Matches And How To Play Videos:

The most effective way to learn padel tennis is to learn the game’s rules, and strategies, including the type of shots. You can learn those things through a live match or videos on the internet. It may need some clarification at first and could take a while before you start to appreciate the game, and why it’s far more enjoyable than tennis and squash.

Choose A Playing Partner:

Padel is usually played as a doubles sport, so looking for a partner who is also new to the game is beneficial. This way, you can practice with the other team members, appreciate the significance of cooperation, and appreciate the game’s peculiarities. Playing in the beginning is also enjoyable as you are still in the learning phase.

Try Taking Lessons From A Coach:

As in any sport, coaching is helpful. When taking lessons, you can notice how to enhance your technique, how and where to position yourself on the court and learn the most basic tactics of the game.

Equipment Needed To Play Padel

Using the right equipment will make you a better padel player. This entails the proper clothing, shoes, and the right padel racket for a given level of play. 

Padel rackets have a short handle and a foam core and are classified into different types: Greater power diamond, Power and control teardrop, and Greater control round. 

As a rule, a beginner should begin with something simple. The racket for the beginner should be round and have a soft core.

When looking for attire, remember to choose a suitable tracksuit and shoes that suit your play style and comfort.

Time to play

If you are just getting into padel tennis, it is crucial to get a hold of the basic knowledge about the sport. We tried to give you insights into some important areas. But if you still seek additional knowledge about padel tennis like the crazy techniques or the best padel racket to buy, check out our guides!