Round & soft
A round head has the biggest sweet spot. A softer foam core forgives off-centre hits. Leave the diamond shapes for later.
Field guidev1 · for first-timers
Learn padel in one scroll.
The court, the serve, the glass, the score and the six shots you'll hear about on day one. Every diagram moves as you scroll, so you see the rule happen instead of reading about it.
Rally · liveShot 001
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Ball Y0.0 m
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01 / 07The court
A cage made for rallies
- 20 × 10 metres
Smaller than a tennis court and fully enclosed. Always played as doubles, two against two.
- A low net and two service boxes
The net is 88 cm in the middle. Service lines sit 6.95 m from the net on each side.
- Glass at both ends
3 m glass back walls wrap round the corners. The rest of the sides is metal mesh. Both are part of the game.
Length20.00 m
Width10.00 m
Net centre0.88 m
Back glass3.00 m
Scroll to build the court
02 / 07The serve
Underhand, and across
- Bounce it, then hit it at waist height or below
Stand behind your service line. Drop the ball, let it bounce once, and swing.
- Send it diagonally into the box
Start from the right side, then swap each point. The return must bounce before it's hit.
- Two tries, one trap
If the serve bounces in the box and then hits the mesh, it's a fault. Hitting the glass is fine. Net and in means serve again.
Contact≤ waist
Serves2 per point
First sideRight
03 / 07The walls
Floor first, then glass
- The ball must land before it hits a wall
Your shot has to bounce on the floor on their side first. Straight into their glass loses you the point.
- Let the glass give it back
After one bounce, the ball can come off the back or side walls and you can still play it. Wait for it.
- Send it over the net
Hit it back before it bounces a second time. In a pinch you can even play it into your own glass to get it over.
Floor → wallLegal
Wall → floorPoint lost
Bounces allowed1
04 / 07Scoring
Same as tennis, plus a golden point
0→15→30→40→Game
Win 6 games to take a set, by two. At 6–6 you play a tie-break to 7. Best of three sets wins the match.
40–40 is called deuce. What happens next depends on the event, so agree on it before the first serve:
- Golden point One deciding point straight away. The most common format at clubs.
- Silver point One advantage, then a deciding point. A club variant.
- Star point Two advantages, then a deciding point. The official pro format since 2026.
- Advantage Win two points in a row, however long that takes.
On every deciding point, the receiving pair picks who returns.
Scoreboard · tap to play
| Pair | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You | 0 | – | – | 0 |
| Them | 0 | – | – | 0 |
● marks the serving pair
05 / 07Six shots
01 / 06
Lob
Globo
06 / 07Positioning
Move like you're tied together
- The net is where points are won
The pair at the net attacks. The pair at the back defends and waits for a chance.
- Lob over them, take their place
A good lob pushes them back. You and your partner walk up together and claim the net.
- Never one up, one back
Split up and you leave a diagonal hole down the middle. Imagine a 3 m rope between you.
AttackAt the net
DefendNear the glass
Gap~3 m
07 / 07Your first week
Four things before your first game
Grip for sand
Most courts are artificial grass with sand on top. Padel or clay shoes with a herringbone sole stop you sliding.
Book 90 minutes
Courts are booked by the hour for four people. 90 minutes gives you a warm-up and two short sets.
One lesson first
An hour with a coach on grip, ready position and the glass saves you weeks of bad habits.
Por tresSmash that bounces out over the back wall.
Golden pointOne deciding point at 40–40.
Drive / RevésRight side / left side of the court.
ParedWall. "Pared!" means let it come off the glass.
BajadaAttacking a ball after it pops off the back glass.
Mixto / AmericanoSocial formats where partners rotate.