The Complete Guide to Playing Padel
Everything you need to know about padel — from basic rules and scoring to wall play, serving technique, and the 2026 star point rule change.
Quick Overview
Padel is played in doubles (4 players) on an enclosed court 20 m × 10 m surrounded by glass walls and metal mesh. Matches use tennis scoring — 15, 30, 40, game — and are best of 3 sets. The defining feature: after the ball bounces on the ground, it can be played off the glass walls, creating longer rallies and unique tactical possibilities unavailable in any other racket sport.
In This Guide
Court Length
20 m
65.6 ft
Court Width
10 m
32.8 ft
Net Height (centre)
88 cm
34.6 in
Net Height (sides)
92 cm
36.2 in
Padel racket
Solid foam core — no strings. Maximum 45.5 cm long, 26 cm wide, 38 mm thick. Perforated surface to reduce air resistance.
Padel ball
Visually identical to a tennis ball but inflated to slightly lower pressure (4.6–5.2 kg/cm²). This produces a softer bounce suited to the enclosed court.
Court surface
Artificial grass (most common), porous concrete, or sport tiles. Professional Premier Padel events use certified artificial turf.
The court's enclosed design is what makes padel unique. The glass back walls are 3 metres tall and extend the full width of the court. Side walls combine glass panels (lower section) with metal mesh fencing (upper section). Players can play the ball off both glass and mesh after it has bounced on the ground.
The service line runs parallel to the net at 6.95 m from it — identical to tennis. A centre line divides each service half into left and right service boxes. The server must stand in the correct half and serve diagonally into the opponent's corresponding box.
| Points won | Score called | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Love | |
| 1 | 15 | |
| 2 | 30 | |
| 3 | 40 | One point from winning the game |
| 3–3 | Deuce (40–40) | Must win 2 consecutive points (traditional rules) |
| Deuce + 1 | Advantage | Win the next point = game won |
| Deuce + 1 (star point) | Golden Point | 2026 rule: one decisive point replaces deuce |
A set is won by the first team to reach 6 games with a minimum lead of 2 games. If the set reaches 6–6, a tiebreak is played.
The tiebreak follows its own point sequence: 1, 2, 3, 4... (not 15/30/40). The first team to 7 points with a lead of at least 2 wins the tiebreak — and with it the set. If the tiebreak reaches 6–6, play continues until one team leads by 2 (e.g., 8–6, 9–7). Service alternates every 2 points (first point is served by the team whose turn it is, then every 2 points thereafter).
Padel matches are best of 3 sets. The team that wins 2 sets first wins the match. If each team has won a set, a deciding third set is played — also requiring a 6–6 tiebreak if necessary.
Pro Tip: Reading a Padel Score
A typical scoreboard shows sets first, then games, then the current score. For example: “6–4, 3–6, 7–6 (5)” means the match went to three sets, with the third set decided by a tiebreak won 7–5.
The padel serve is fundamentally different from tennis. It is always underhand and struck below waist height, removing the dominance of the serve seen in tennis and creating more balanced, rally-based play.
Ball lands outside service box
Including landing on the service line (line calls are out, unlike tennis).
Ball hits the net
If the ball fails to reach the service box after hitting the net, it is a fault.
Server steps over the line
Either foot crossing the baseline or service line before contact = fault.
Ball strikes mesh before the box
If the ball touches the side fence or mesh before landing in the service box, it is a fault.
Ball above waist at contact
The ball must be struck at or below the natural waist height of the server.
If the serve clips the net but still lands correctly in the service box, it is called a let. The server replays that serve (not counted as a fault). If a service let occurs on the first serve, the server gets both first and second serve again. Lets can be called multiple times in a row without penalty.
Once the serve is in play, the rally follows specific rules about how and when the ball may be struck. Understanding these rules is essential — they differ meaningfully from tennis in several ways.
One bounce before striking
RequiredThe ball must bounce once on your side of the court before you strike it. You cannot play the ball in the air before it bounces (with the exception of volleys at the net — see below).
Volleying is allowed
AllowedYou may volley the ball (strike it before it bounces) from anywhere on your side of the court. Volleying near the net is a central tactic in padel, like in doubles tennis.
No volleying the return of serve
ExceptionThe receiver must let the serve bounce before returning it. This is the one situation where a volley is forbidden.
Ball going over the glass wall
Point lostIf the ball clears the top of the glass wall and exits the court — whether from an opponent's shot or your own — the point is awarded to the other team.
Ball hitting you or your partner
Point lostIf the ball strikes you, your partner, your clothing, or your racket while you are not attempting a shot, the opposing team wins the point.
Exiting through the doors
AllowedYou are permitted to leave the court through the side doors or openings in pursuit of the ball. Retrieving the ball outside the court and playing it back in is completely legal — and one of the most exciting plays in padel.
The Golden Rule
After the ball bounces on the ground on your side, it may be played off any wall. If the ball hits the wall before bouncing on the ground, it is out.
The wall game is what separates padel from every other racket sport. Elite players like Agustin Tapia and Arturo Coello have mastered the art of reading wall angles — anticipating where the ball will rebound off the back glass to set up attacking positions. Learning to play the walls is the single biggest step from beginner to intermediate padel.
From the 2026 season, Premier Padel introduced the star point (also called the golden point) at the professional level. The rule applies whenever a game reaches deuce (40–40): instead of requiring one team to win two consecutive points, a single decisive point is played to determine who wins the game.
Traditional deuce
2+ points needed
Can go on indefinitely
Star point
1 decisive point
Immediate winner
Effect
Faster, more dynamic
Eliminates marathon games
Under the star point rule, the receiving team decides from which side (left or right) they prefer to receive the decisive serve. This gives the returning team a tactical advantage and adds a layer of strategy to high-pressure moments.
The star point was introduced first at the professional Premier Padel level. Local clubs and recreational leagues may or may not have adopted it — always check with your club or tournament organiser. Traditional deuce rules remain common at non-professional levels.
Read the full breakdown of all 2026 rule changes in our detailed article: Star Point: New Padel Rules 2026 →
Touching the net
Any contact between a player (body, clothing, racket) and the net during play immediately ends the point for that team.
Ball strikes you or your partner
If the ball hits a player's body, clothing, or racket (outside of an intended shot), the opposing team wins the point.
Two bounces
Allowing the ball to bounce twice on your side before playing it is a fault. The opponents win the point.
Crossing the net plane
A player's racket or body crossing the vertical plane of the net — even without touching it — is a fault.
Ball hitting own court fixtures
If your shot hits a light fitting or other permanent fixture and lands on the opponents's side in an irregular trajectory, it is typically replayed (let) unless rules specify otherwise.
Service let
Ball clips the net on serve but lands correctly in the service box. The serve is replayed — not counted as a fault.
Hindrance / obstruction
If a player is prevented from making a normal shot by an external disturbance (e.g., a ball from another court), the point is replayed.
Ball from adjacent court enters play
If a stray ball from another court enters and interrupts the rally, the point is replayed from the start.
Unforeseen circumstances
Equipment failure, lighting outage, or other extraordinary events may prompt the referee to call a let and replay the point.
Three of the fastest-growing racket sports in the world share some DNA but differ sharply in rules, equipment, and court design. Here is a quick comparison.
| Feature | Padel | Tennis | Pickleball |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court size | 20 m × 10 m | 23.77 m × 10.97 m (doubles) | 13.41 m × 6.1 m |
| Walls in play | Yes — glass & mesh | No | No |
| Serve type | Underhand (below waist) | Overhand (any height) | Underhand (below waist) |
| Net height | 88 cm centre | 91.4 cm centre | 91.4 cm centre |
| Racket | Solid, no strings, ~45 cm | Strung, ~68 cm | Solid, no strings, ~40 cm |
| Ball | Low-pressure rubber | Pressurised felt | Perforated polymer |
| Players | Always doubles (4) | Singles or doubles | Singles or doubles |
| Scoring | Tennis-based (15/30/40) | Traditional tennis | Rally scoring to 11/15/21 |
| Ease for beginners | Very high | Moderate | High |
Padel is often described as the easiest racket sport to start because the underhand serve is forgiving, the enclosed court keeps the ball in play longer, and the glass walls reduce the court coverage required. Yet it offers enormous tactical depth at higher levels — see how the top professionals earn their prize money on the Men's Padel Prize Money Rankings and Women's Padel Prize Money Rankings.
Professional padel offers serious prize money. Here are the highest-earning players on tour right now.
Professional padel offers substantial prize money across the Premier Padel tour. Track every euro earned by the world's top players, from P2 events to the Major finals.