How to Play Padel
Court setup, serve mechanics, scoring, live-ball walls, doubles positioning — everything you need to play your first padel match today. The fastest way to learn is with a coach.
To play padel, serve underarm diagonally into the opponent's service box, rally using the glass walls after the bounce, and win points using standard tennis scoring (15-30-40-game). Padel is played doubles on an enclosed 20m × 10m court. Most beginners are rallying confidently within their first session — here is how everything works.
Padel in 60 seconds
Padel is a doubles racket sport played on an enclosed court (20m × 10m) with glass back walls and wire fencing on the sides. You serve underarm, score like tennis, and the ball is live off the walls after bouncing. It's one of the easiest racket sports to start — most beginners are having real rallies within 20 minutes of picking up a paddle.
The court
Court dimensions
- →Total: 20m long × 10m wide
- →Service box: 6.95m × 3m each side
- →Net height: 88cm at centre, 92cm at posts
- →Back wall: 3m of solid glass
- →Side walls: 4m glass + wire fencing above
Court zones
- →Service line: The line behind which you serve from
- →Middle line: Divides the service box left/right
- →Net area: Where both players advance to attack
- →Back zone: Behind the service line — defence area
- →Surface: Artificial turf (sand-filled or padded)
Good to know: A padel court is smaller than a tennis court and half the size of a football penalty area. The enclosed cage means the ball almost always stays in play — you'll spend far less time chasing balls than in tennis. The artificial turf provides good grip and is easy on knees and ankles.
The serve
The padel serve is one of the sport's most beginner-friendly features. Unlike tennis, there is no overhead serve — the ball must be hit underarm, below waist height.
Stand behind the service line
Position yourself to the right or left of the centre mark, behind the service line on your side of the court.
Bounce the ball
Drop or bounce the ball once on the court — you cannot serve without a bounce (unlike tennis).
Hit it underarm, below waist height
Strike the ball below your waist in a diagonal direction toward the opponent's service box. The swing is short and controlled.
Land in the diagonal service box
The ball must land in the service box diagonally opposite you. After bouncing, it may hit the side wall — this is valid.
Two serves: first and second
Just like tennis, you get two attempts. A fault (missing the box or not bouncing first) on the second serve loses the point.
Serve fault: Common mistakes: hitting above the waist, not bouncing the ball first, serving into the wrong box, or the ball landing outside the service box. A let (ball hits the net cord and lands in) is replayed. See the full padel serve guide for technique tips.
Playing the walls
The walls are the defining feature of padel. After the ball bounces once on the court, it can rebound off the back glass or side fencing and be played. Learning to use the walls — rather than avoid them — is the key to improving quickly.
When walls are live
- ✓After the ball bounces once on the court
- ✓Ball hits back glass and you play the rebound
- ✓Ball hits side fencing after bouncing
- ✓Ball exits over the glass (can be played outside)
When it's a fault
- ✗Ball hits the wall before bouncing in your court
- ✗Ball bounces twice before you return it
- ✗Your shot hits your own wall before crossing the net
- ✗During the serve — ball must land in box first
Beginner tip: When your opponent smashes the ball hard, your first instinct will be to hit it back immediately. In padel, often the better play is to let the ball hit the back glass and reboundback into play — then return it calmly. This is called a “por tres” exit when the ball comes off both side walls. The wall play guide covers advanced wall techniques.
Scoring
Padel uses tennis scoring — if you know tennis, you already know how to score padel. The one difference is how deuce is handled.
Love (0), 15, 30, 40. Win a game by reaching 40 and winning the next point.
Golden point: one decisive point determines the game. The receiving pair chooses left or right side to receive from. No deuce/advantage cycling.
First pair to win 6 games wins the set — with a minimum 2-game lead. At 6-6, a tiebreak is played.
Most recreational matches are best of 3 sets. First pair to win 2 sets wins the match.
Points to 7 (or more), minimum 2-point lead. Pairs change ends every 6 points.
Coming from other sports: Tennis players will feel at home immediately. Pickleball players will need to adjust from rally scoring (1, 2, 3...) to tennis-style scoring (love, 15, 30, 40). The golden point at deuce is actually faster than tennis's deuce/advantage cycle — matches move quicker as a result. Full rules are in the padel rules guide.
Doubles positioning
Padel is almost exclusively doubles. Unlike tennis doubles, padel positioning is very structured — both players move as a unit. Understanding this early saves hours of learning.
Net position (attacking)
- →Both players at the net — dominant position
- →Side by side, covering the full width
- →Volley most balls before they bounce
- →Goal: force opponents to lob or make errors
Back position (defending)
- →Both players behind the service line
- →Let balls come off the back glass to recover
- →Aim to lob and regain net position
- →Never split (one at net, one behind) — move together
The golden rule: Move together with your partner. When your partner goes back to retrieve a lob, you go back too. When your partner advances to the net, you advance too. Pairs that split — one at net, one at back — are easy to defeat. The lob is padel's most important shot for getting from back to net position.
3 tips for your first padel session
Keep your swing compact
Resist the tennis instinct to swing big. Padel is about placement and angles, not power. A short, firm swing gives you far more control on the smaller court.
Trust the back glass
When you're in trouble at the back, let the ball hit the glass. It will rebound toward the court and give you time to recover. Fighting the glass instead of using it is the beginner's most common mistake.
Get to the net after serving
After your serve, follow the ball forward toward the net. Net position is dominant in padel. Don't stay at the back after serving — your goal is to close the net with your partner.
First session checklist
What to bring
- ✓Sports clothes — comfortable, breathable
- ✓Court shoes with lateral support (or rent from the club)
- ✓Water bottle — matches run 60–90 min
- ✓Padel paddle (most clubs rent for £5–10)
- ✓Padel balls (3 per court — club provides or ~£5)
- ✓Sunscreen for outdoor courts
What to expect
- →A warm-up rally to get used to the walls
- →A coach who will shorten your swing first
- →Lots of laughs — padel is very social
- →Enjoyable rallies within your first 20 minutes
- →Sore forearms if you grip too tight — relax
- →An urge to book your next session immediately
How to play padel: common questions
How do you serve in padel?
The padel serve is underarm only. Stand behind the service line, bounce the ball once, and hit it below waist height diagonally into the opposite service box. The ball may hit the side wall after bouncing in the service box — this is allowed. You get two serve attempts (first and second serve) just like tennis. There is no overhead serve in padel.
Can the ball bounce off the wall in padel?
Yes — in padel, the back glass walls and the side wire fencing are live after the ball has bounced once on the court. The ball can also go over the glass wall (outside the cage) in certain situations and still be played. The only time the walls are not in play is during the serve — the ball must bounce in the service box first, and any side-wall contact after that is valid.
How do you score in padel?
Padel uses tennis scoring: love (0), 15, 30, 40. Win a game when your opponents cannot return or you win the point at 40. At deuce (40-40), a golden point decides the game — one point played, with the receiving pair choosing which side to receive from. Win 6 games to win a set (with a tiebreak at 6-6). Most matches are best of 3 sets.
How long does a padel match take?
A recreational padel match (best of 3 sets) typically lasts 60–90 minutes. Competitive matches can run 90–120 minutes. Single sets take around 25–35 minutes. Padel rallies are generally shorter than tennis rallies, which keeps the pace moving. Most clubs offer 90-minute court bookings, which is ideal for a full match.
Can beginners play padel?
Yes — padel is one of the most beginner-friendly racket sports. The underarm serve removes the hardest shot in tennis, the enclosed court means fewer balls to chase, and the doubles format means you're always playing with a partner. Most beginners are having enjoyable rallies within their first 20 minutes on court. A one-hour introductory lesson with a qualified coach is the fastest way to get started.
The fastest way to learn padel is with a coach
A qualified padel coach will fix your swing, teach you the walls, and get you competing in a fraction of the time it takes to self-teach. One lesson saves hours of bad habits.
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