What Are Padel Rules?

So, you’ve decided to give padel a shot. Good choice. It’s like tennis but more fun, like squash but less claustrophobic, and unlike both, you don’t need to be a pro athlete to enjoy it. But before you start swinging wildly and calling every ball “in” (nice try), you should probably learn the actual rules. Don’t worry—I’ll make it painless.

The Basics: What Even Is Padel?

Padel is a mix of tennis and squash, played on a smaller, enclosed court. It’s always doubles (unless you like breaking rules), and you can use the walls to your advantage. The scoring is identical to tennis, which means you can still pretend to understand what “15-30” actually means.

The Court & Equipment

The Court:

• Size: 10 meters wide, 20 meters long (about half a tennis court)
• Walls: Glass and metal mesh fences—yes, you can use them in play
• Net: Just like in tennis, but slightly lower (0.88m in the center)

The Gear:

• Rackets: Short-handled, no strings, and full of holes (like Swiss cheese but better for hitting balls)
• Balls: Similar to tennis balls but with lower pressure (so they don’t bounce into orbit)

---

How to Play (Without Looking Clueless)

1. Serving: The Only Time You Get to Feel Fancy

• Underhand Only: No overhead serves here—think of it as a polite introduction rather than an aggressive statement.
• Bounce First: Drop the ball, let it bounce behind the service line, and then hit it diagonally into the opposite service box.
• Waist-Level Rule: You can’t serve from above waist height (sorry, show-offs).
• Two Chances: Just like tennis, you get a second serve if you mess up the first one.

2. Ball in Play: The Fun Begins

• The ball can bounce off the walls after hitting the ground (use them to your advantage).
• The ball can’t hit the walls first before touching the ground. That’s out.
• One bounce rule: The ball can only bounce once on your side before you return it.
• You can hit the ball off your own walls to get it back over the net (trick shots encouraged).
• If the ball goes out of the court after bouncing on your side, you can still chase it outside the court and return it—if you’re fast enough.

3. Scoring: Why Tennis Fans Have an Advantage

• 15-30-40-Game: Same system as tennis. No one knows why it’s not just 1-2-3, but let’s not question tradition.
• Deuce & Advantage: At 40-40, you need to win two consecutive points.
• Best of 3 or 5 Sets: First to 6 games in a set, must win by 2.

4. Winning Points: Ways to Make Your Opponents Cry

• If the ball bounces twice on the opponent’s side.
• If your opponent hits it into the net.
• If your opponent’s shot goes out without touching your side first.
• If they forget the rules (common among beginners).

---

Common Mistakes (That Will Make You Look Like a Newbie)

❌ Serving too high – Keep it waist-level, champ.

❌ Not letting the ball bounce before serving – Slow down, Federer.

❌ Thinking power is everything – This isn’t baseball. Precision > brute force.

❌ Ignoring the walls – They’re there for a reason. Use them.

---

Final Thoughts: Just Get on the Court

Rules are great and all, but the best way to learn padel is to play. Grab a racket, find a partner (preferably one who also doesn’t know the rules so you can learn together), and get on the court. You’ll figure out the rest as you go. Just remember: underhand serve, walls are your friend, and don’t argue about the score unless you’re 100% sure you’re right.

Now go forth and play like you know what you’re doing. (Fake it till you make it.)