A padel coach demonstrates padel rules for beginners to a woman on a blue padel court, holding a racket and ball.

Basic padel rules for beginners

Written by
Lorena Cordero
Published
April 10, 2025
Edited
May 8, 2025
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Court and net rules
  2. Serving rules
  3. First serve
  4. Second serve
  5. Scoring system
  6. Double hit
  7. Padel tie break rules
  8. Golden point

Padel, sometimes called paddle or padel tennis, is an exciting racquet sport. It mixes parts of tennis and squash, making it fun for players of all ages and skill levels. When you start playing padel, it's essential to understand the fundamental concepts that shape the game

The rules of padel are made to ensure fair play and improve the player's experience. This article will explain everything you need to know about this popular sport!

Court and net rules

A padel court is a closed area surrounded by walls, which players can use to hit the ball, just like in squash. The court is 20 meters long and 10 meters wide, with a net in the middle that is 88 centimeters high. The net divides the court into two sides, and each side has service boxes. A special part of padel court rules is that players can use the walls to make smart shots that can surprise their opponents.

When starting a match, the serving player must hit the ball over the net so it lands inside the opponent’s court. If the ball hits the net on a serve but lands in the right box, it's good, and the game continues. But if the ball doesn’t clear the net or lands outside the opposite diagonal side, it’s a fault.

An aerial view shows a blue padel court surrounded by trees, illustrating the playing area for padel court rules.

Serving rules

Now that we've covered the basics, let's dive into the padel serve rules. A strong start can put pressure on your opponent and help you take control of the game. When you learn the basics and use the right technique, you'll play better, feel more confident, and have a lot more fun on the court.

A diagram of a padel court with a yellow dashed line illustrating the ball's trajectory from the serving player to the receiving player within the service box, demonstrating padel serve rules.

First serve

The game begins with an underarm serve from the right side, hitting the ball in diagonal into the opponent's court, just like in tennis. The server has to let the ball bounce once before hitting it, and it should be struck at or below waist level. When serving, make sure your feet don’t touch or cross the line in front of you.

Correct: The ball must land in the opponent’s service box. If it bounces in the box and hits the side or back wall, it’s still a good serve, and the opponent must return it. If the ball hits the net but lands in the box and then hits the side or back wall, it’s called a let, and you need to serve again.

Incorrect: If the ball lands in the service box and hits the wire fencing, it’s considered a fault. The same happens if the ball hits the net, lands in the box, and then touches the wire fencing.

Second serve

Just like in tennis, if your first serve is a fault, you get a second chance to serve. If the second serve also fails, the point is for the opposing team.

Scoring system

Padel uses the same scoring system as tennis, which makes it easier to learn. A match is usually played in the best of three sets. To win a set, a team must be the first to reach six games, with at least a two-game lead.

Each game follows a simple point system: 15, 30, 40, and then game point. If both teams reach 40-40, it’s called deuce, and one team must win two points in a row to take the game.

Two people play padel on a blue court with a net, illustrating the dynamic movement inherent in the padel scoring system.

Double hit

The padel double hit rule says that a player cannot hit the ball twice with one swing, whether on purpose or by mistake. This is not allowed, and the other team wins the point.

Padel tie break rules

In padel, a tie break happens when a set reaches 6-6. To win the tie break, a team must reach 7 points, but they must be ahead by at least 2 points. If the score is close, like 7-6, the game continues until one team has a two-point lead, such as 8-6 or 9-7.

Serving in a tie break is different from a regular game. The player who served last starts the tie break with one serve from the right side. After that, teams switch servers every two points. Tie breaks can get intense since every point counts, but that’s what makes the game even more exciting.

Golden point

The golden point is a special rule in padel used when the score reaches 40-40 (deuce). Instead of playing extra points, the next rally decides the game. This rule keeps matches fast and adds excitement, as one point can make all the difference.

Now that you know the basics of padel, including the rules, serving, and scoring it’s time to take that knowledge to the court. Padel is all about fun, teamwork, and improving together, so grab a friend and get started. Use Playtomic to book your court, and let the games begin!