Padel rules explained: serve, walls, scoring

Serve: underarm, diagonal
Attempts: 2
Scoring: 15 · 30 · 40
Set: 6 games

20 × 10 m, net in the middle, glass at the back, mesh along the sides.

Serve underarm, diagonally into the opposite box.

One bounce on your side, then the ball may come off the walls.

Green: off the wall after the bounce — good. Red: straight into the opponents’ wall — point lost.

15 · 30 · 40 · game, often golden point at 40–40.

Two bounces: point lost.

01

The court and its walls

The court is 20 × 10 metres and fully enclosed. Glass and mesh are part of the game, but only on your own side and only after the bounce.

The service line sits 6.95 metres from the net. The centre line splits the space between them into two service boxes.

02

The serve

Bounce the ball behind the service line and hit it at or below waist height. At least one foot stays on the ground, behind the line.

The ball must land diagonally in the opposite service box. If it then hits the glass, that is fine. If it hits the mesh first after the bounce, it is a fault. You get two attempts.

03

The rally

The receiver must let the serve bounce. After that any ball may be volleyed or played after one bounce.

After the bounce the ball may come off the walls on your side as often as it likes before you play it. You may also hit it into your own wall so it goes over the net.

04

What the walls allow

Your shot must land in the opponents’ court before it touches a wall. Hit their wall or mesh directly and you lose the point.

If a ball bounces and then leaves the court over the wall, it may be played outside where the venue has exits. That is the “por tres” or “por cuatro”.

05

Scoring

Scoring is as in tennis: 15, 30, 40, game. A set goes to six games with a two-game lead, with a tiebreak at 6–6. Matches are usually best of three sets.

At 40–40 the classic rule is advantage. Many tournaments and nearly all social games use golden point: one point decides the game, and the receiving team picks the side.

06

When you lose a point

The ball bounces twice on your side. You hit it into the net, out, or straight into the opponents’ wall.

The ball hits you or your partner. You touch the net with your body or racket, or you hit the ball twice in a row.

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Frequently asked questions

Can you volley the serve?

No. The serve must bounce first. After that, volleys are allowed.

What is golden point?

At 40–40 a single point decides the game instead of playing advantage. The receiving team chooses which side the serve goes to.

Can the serve hit the wall?

Yes, the glass after bouncing in the right box. If it hits the mesh first after the bounce, the serve is a fault.

Can you play the ball off your own wall?

Yes. You may hit the ball into a wall on your side, as long as it then goes over the net into the opponents’ court.

Updated 15 November 2026

Padel rules