Padel Rules: The Complete Guide

Padel is played on a glass-and-mesh enclosed court by two pairs, combining elements of tennis and squash. This guide covers everything — court dimensions, scoring, serving, wall play, and match formats — so you can play or follow the game with confidence.

The Court

A padel court measures 20 metres long by 10 metres wide — roughly half the size of a tennis court. The court is enclosed by glass walls at the back and sides, with metal mesh above the glass. A net divides the court in the middle. Service boxes are marked in each half. The area between the service line and the back wall is sometimes called 'no-man's land' but is fully in play — the key difference from tennis is that the back and side walls are part of the game.

Scoring

Padel uses the same scoring system as tennis: points progress 15 – 30 – 40 – game. At 40–40 (deuce), the golden point rule applies in official play: the receiving pair chooses which side to receive from, and the single point decides the game. A set is won by the first pair to reach 6 games with a 2-game lead. At 6–6 a tiebreak is played: first to 7 points with a 2-point lead wins the set.

Matches are typically best of 3 sets. When the set score reaches 1–1 (one set each), the deciding third set may use a match tiebreak (super tiebreak) played to 10 points instead of a full set — this format is common in recreational play and some professional events.

Serves

The serve in padel is underarm — the ball must be struck at or below waist height after bouncing on the ground inside the service box. The server must stand behind the service line and keep at least one foot on the ground at impact. The ball must land in the diagonal service box on the other side of the net. The server has two attempts. If the ball hits the net and lands correctly in the service box, it is a let and the serve is replayed. Foot faults (stepping on or over the service line before striking) result in a fault.

When a Point is Lost

A pair loses a point when: the ball bounces twice on their side of the court; the ball hits their own back or side wall before landing in the opponent's court on a groundstroke; the ball goes out of bounds (hits the metal frame, goes over the fence, or lands outside the court without touching a wall first); a player or their equipment is hit by the ball; or a player touches the net or opponent's side of the court.

Using the Walls

Walls are what make padel unique. After the ball bounces on the ground, it may rebound off the back or side glass and mesh walls and still be played. A ball played off the back wall from a high defensive position — the 'bajada' — is one of the most distinctive shots in padel. If the ball hits the metal frame at the top of the wall structure, it is considered out of bounds.

Let Rules

A let (replay of the point) is called when: a serve clips the net and lands correctly in the service box (serve let); play is interrupted by an external interference (ball from another court, noise). In rally play, lets are not called for net cord shots that land in play — the point continues.

Golden Point

At deuce (40–40), rather than continuing with advantage scoring, padel uses the golden point: one decisive point. The receiving pair chooses whether to receive from the right or left side. This rule was made mandatory in professional play to speed up matches and reduce prolonged deuce games. It applies at every deuce during the match.

Match Formats

Standard competitive padel is best of 3 sets, with a tiebreak at 6–6 in each set and a super tiebreak (first to 10 points, 2 ahead) replacing the third set. Professional events such as Premier Padel and A1 Padel use this format. Recreational club matches often play a single set or best of 3 with slightly varied tiebreak rules. Check with your local club for any house rules.