Padel rules: the complete guide

Padel's rules are short once you know them, but a few of them catch out everyone in their first month, especially the ones about the walls and the mesh. This guide follows the official Rules of Padel published by the International Padel Federation (FIP), which is what British competitions and leagues use (FIP Rules of Padel). If you just want the basics, read what is padel first.

The serve

• The server stands behind the service line, between the centre line and the side wall, and keeps at least one foot on the ground.
• Bounce the ball on the floor behind the service line, then hit it at or below waist height.
• Serve diagonally into the receiver's service box. The first point of each game is served from the right-hand side, then you alternate.
• You get two serves. A let (ball touches the net and lands in the box, without then hitting the mesh) is replayed.
• The receiver must let the serve bounce. If the serve hits the receiver before bouncing, the server wins the point.

The serve is a fault if it lands outside the box (the lines are in), if it hits the server's partner, or if it bounces in the box and then hits the metal mesh before bouncing again. A serve that bounces in the box and then hits the glass is good and must be played. This is the rule beginners most often get wrong.

The walls and the mesh

Once the serve is in play, the walls become part of the game:

• Your side: after the ball has bounced on your side, you can play it off any of your walls, including the back glass and side glass, as long as you hit it before it bounces a second time.
• Using your own walls: you can hit the ball into your own back or side wall and have it rebound over the net, as long as it then lands in your opponents' court.
• Their side: your shot must bounce on the floor of the other side before it touches any of their walls or mesh. If it hits their glass or fence first, you lose the point.
• The mesh on your side: once the ball has bounced in your court and hits the mesh, it's still in play if you can reach it, but it's much less predictable than glass.

Scoring, golden point and Star Point

Padel uses tennis scoring: 15, 30, 40, game. A set is won by the first pair to six games with a two-game lead, with a tie-break at six-all; the tie-break is first to seven points, win by two. Matches are normally best of three sets.

At 40-40 there are three options in the FIP rules, and the organiser decides which applies:

• Advantage: as in tennis, you need two clear points.
• Golden point: one deciding point at deuce. The receiving pair chooses which side to receive on. Most UK social games and many leagues play this because it keeps games moving.
• Star Point: advantage is played twice, and if the game reaches a third deuce, one deciding point is played. This is newer and mainly seen at professional and high-level events.

Players change ends after the first, third and every following odd game, and every six points in a tie-break.

Out-of-court play

On some courts, you're allowed to run out through the side openings and play the ball from outside the court. This is only allowed where the court has a safe area outside it: the FIP rules specify a clear zone at least 3 m wide and 4 m long beyond each opening. If the court doesn't have that space, which is true of many UK indoor clubs, a ball that bounces and then leaves the court over the walls or through the door is simply a lost point for the side that couldn't return it. Ask at the desk if you're not sure which applies.

Faults and lost points

You lose the point if you:

• Touch the net, the posts or your opponents' side of the court with your body or racket while the ball is in play.
• Hit the ball before it has crossed the net to your side.
• Let the ball bounce twice on your side.
• Hit a shot that strikes your opponents' walls or mesh before bouncing on their floor.
• Hit the ball twice, or both you and your partner hit it.
• Are hit by the ball (other than your racket) when your opponent plays it, whether you're in or out of the court.
• Hit the ball into your own mesh or let it touch your own floor after you've played it.
• Throw your racket at the ball, or serve two faults in a row.

Two rules work in your favour: if your shot bounces in the opponents' court and then goes out through a hole in the mesh, or gets stuck on the flat top of the wall, you win the point.

Ready to put the rules into practice? Find padel courts near you or see all UK padel venues.