Matchpoint competitions writer Joshua Foster, a member of the UK’s home of padel, tennis & pickleball competitions, provides all you need to know about padel, one of the most popular sports on the planet.
What is padel?
Padel is one of the fastest-growing racket sports in the world, combining the strategy of tennis with the fun and pace of squash.
Played in doubles on an enclosed court surrounded by glass and mesh walls, padel offers a fast, social, and tactical way to stay active.
The basic rules of padel
1. How to start a point
Play begins with an underarm serve.
The server must let the ball bounce once before hitting it.
The serve must land diagonally in the opponent’s service box.
The ball must be below waist height when struck.
If the ball hits the side fence before bouncing, it’s a fault.
Each player gets two serves, just like in tennis.
2. Scoring system
Padel uses the same scoring system as tennis:
15, 30, 40, game.
A set is won by the first team to reach six games with at least a two-game lead.
If the score reaches 6–6, a seven-point tiebreak decides the set.
Matches are typically best of three sets.
3. Using the walls
One of the most unique padel rules is that players can use the walls.
The ball can bounce off the glass after hitting the ground.
Players can return the ball after it rebounds off their own wall, similar to squash.
However, the ball must not hit the fence directly; it must bounce first.
This adds a tactical layer that rewards positioning, anticipation, and creativity.
4. Serving rules in detail
The server must stand behind the service line.
Both feet must stay behind the line until the ball is hit.
The serve must land diagonally in the opponent’s box.
The ball may touch the glass wall after landing in the box; this is legal.
