Padel Rules for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know Before Your First Game
Padel is genuinely quick to pick up, but showing up without knowing the basic rules makes your first game frustrating for everyone. This is a plain-language breakdown of what you need to know before you step on court for the first time.
The court and how it works
A padel court is enclosed by glass walls and metal mesh. The court is divided by a net, like tennis. The key difference: the walls are in play. If your opponent hits a ball that bounces on your side and then hits the back glass, you can play the rebound as a legal shot. You can also play a ball off the side walls as long as it has bounced on the correct side first.
The court measures 20m x 10m. You play doubles — four players, two on each side. Singles padel exists but is rare.
How to serve
The server stands behind the service line on the right side of the court. You bounce the ball on the floor and hit it underarm, at or below waist height. The ball must land in the diagonal service box on the other side of the net — the same as in tennis. You get two attempts. If both serve into the net or out, it's a double fault and your opponent wins the point.
If the served ball hits the side or back wall after landing in the correct service box, it's a legal serve. The only exception: if the ball hits the wire mesh fence above the glass on the serve, it's a fault.
Scoring
Padel uses the same scoring system as tennis: 15, 30, 40, game. Sets are played to 6 games, and you need to win by two. At 6-6, you play a tiebreak to 7 (win by two). Matches are typically best of three sets.
Walls: what's in and what's out
During play (not the serve), the walls are fully in play — but only after the ball has bounced on the floor first. You cannot volley directly off the wall. If the ball bounces on your side and then goes over the fence without bouncing again, it's out. If it bounces on the floor and then hits the wall, it's still in play.
You can also hit the ball into your own wall before it goes over the net, as long as it clears the net and lands in the opponent's side. This opens up a range of creative shots that have no equivalent in tennis.
The most common beginner mistakes
A few things that trip people up in the first few sessions:
- Hitting out on purpose to end a rally — the walls make this harder than it looks. If you don't commit fully to a shot, it often comes back
- Standing too close to the back glass — leave yourself room to swing. Being caught against the glass is a bad position
- Ignoring the net position — in padel, controlling the net wins points. Stay forward with your partner when you have the opportunity
- Not calling "let" on serve — if the served ball clips the net tape and lands correctly, it's a let and the serve is replayed, same as tennis
Let and hindrance
If a ball from an adjacent court rolls onto your court mid-point, it's a let and the point is replayed. If a player is hindered physically or their view is blocked, again it's typically a let. Standard sportsmanship applies.
Ready to play?
That covers the basics. Padel has a short learning curve on the rules side — most people feel comfortable with the flow of the game after just a few sessions. The physical and tactical side takes longer, but that's what makes it worth coming back to.
If you need a racket before your first game, the 12K Padel range starts at £79.95 with free UK delivery.