Padel Rules Explained – Quick Beginner’s Guide to How Padel Is Played
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Quick reference · Padel rules
This is a quick-reference guide. For the full 2026 rules — including official changes, scoring formats and serve clarifications — see the Padel Rules 2026 guide.
Padel rules: the quick version
Padel is played in doubles (2 vs 2) on an enclosed glass-and-mesh court, roughly a third the size of a tennis court. Scoring follows tennis. The serve is underarm. Glass walls are in play after a bounce. Here are the essentials before your first session.
Scoring and match format
- Games: 15 – 30 – 40 – Deuce – Advantage – Game
- Sets: First to 6 games, win by 2
- Tiebreak: At 6–6 (first to 7 points, win by 2)
- Golden/deciding point: At 40–40, one sudden-death point decides the game (common at club level)
- Change sides: Every odd-numbered game
Serving rules
- Serve must be underhand, struck below waist height
- The ball must bounce behind the service line before contact
- It must land diagonally in the opponent’s service box
- No direct fence contact on the serve — a glass rebound off the back wall is fine
Wall and fence rules
- Glass walls are in play after the ball bounces on your side
- You may play a ball off your own back glass defensively
- If the ball hits the fence before bouncing it’s out
- Strategic glass rebounds are central to padel tactics at every level
Rules summary
| Rule | How it works |
|---|---|
| Players | Always doubles (2 vs 2) |
| Scoring | Same as tennis (15–30–40–Game) |
| Serve | Underhand, cross-court, must bounce first |
| Glass walls | In play after bounce |
| Fence/mesh | Out if hit before bounce |
| Deciding point | Used at 40–40 in most club formats |
Five beginner mistakes to avoid
- Serving too high or hitting the fence on serve
- Standing too close to the net too early in the rally
- Trying to smash every overhead instead of using the bandeja
- Forgetting you can and should use the walls defensively
- Miscommunicating with your partner — call every ball
- Padel Rules 2026 — official changes, scoring & serve guide
- Padel rules explained simply — 20 real match examples
- 15 padel rules questions beginners always ask
- How do I get started playing padel?
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