Learn padel: rules and basics

What is padel?

Padel is a racket sport for four players on a small court enclosed by glass and mesh walls. It is played with a stringless racket and a ball similar to a tennis ball.

What makes it special: the walls are part of the game. After bouncing on your side, the ball may come back off the wall and stay in play. That allows long rallies and makes padel easy to pick up.

Court and equipment

The court measures 20 × 10 metres. The back walls and parts of the side walls are glass, the rest is mesh. The net is 88 cm high in the middle and 92 cm at the posts. Most courts are artificial turf with sand.

To start, a rented racket, sportswear and shoes with a herringbone or clay sole are enough. Running shoes are not suitable.

Serve

Bounce the ball once before hitting it.
Serve underarm; contact must be at or below waist height.
Serve diagonally into the opposite service box; as in tennis you get two attempts.

Scoring

Scoring is the same as tennis: 15, 30, 40, game. A set goes to six games (tie-break at 6–6) and a match is best of three sets. Many tournaments play a deciding point at deuce (the 'golden point').

The walls

The ball must bounce in the opponents' court first; after that it may hit the wall.
After it bounces on your side, you may play the ball back after it comes off the wall.
You may also hit the ball against your own wall so it flies over – just not directly into the opponents' wall or fence.

Key shots

Volley: Ball taken out of the air at the net – the most important shot in doubles.
Lob: High ball over the opponents to take the net yourself.
Bandeja: Controlled overhead with slice to keep the net position.
Víbora: More aggressive version of the bandeja with side spin.
Chiquita: Soft, low ball at the feet of the opponents at the net.

Your first session

Book a court and rent rackets – most venues offer them.
Warm up: rally cross-court without using the walls.
Try the walls: let the ball come off the back wall and play it back.
Play points – keep the rules relaxed and enjoy the rallies.

Padel vs tennis

	Padel	Tennis
Court	20 × 10 m, with walls	23.77 × 10.97 m (doubles)
Players	almost always doubles	singles or doubles
Racket	stringless, perforated	strung
Serve	underarm after a bounce	overarm
Walls	part of the game	none
Learning curve	quick to play	takes longer

FAQ

Is padel hard to learn?

No. The small court, the underarm serve and the forgiving walls mean most people are rallying in their first session.

Do I need my own equipment?

Not at first: many venues rent rackets. Shoes with the right sole matter most. Your own beginner racket is worth it once you play regularly.

How many players do you need?

Padel is almost always played as doubles with four players. Many clubs and apps help you find partners at a similar level.

Can I play in tennis shoes?

Clay-court tennis shoes with a herringbone sole work well. Running or indoor shoes give too little grip on sandy turf.

How much does an hour of padel cost?

You usually book the whole court for four people; the price depends on city, time and venue. The court pages show where you can book online.