Padel is easy to start because the scoring looks like tennis, but the walls, underhand serve, cage openings, and doubles positioning create rulings that feel unusual fast. This hub starts with the high-search basics and leaves room for deeper pages on glass rebounds, net play, and tournament formats.
Five-minute guide
Padel rules in five minutes
Rules baseline: International Padel Federation (FIP) Rules of Padel published in the FIP documentation library and current on 1 August 2026. Tour and national regulations may modify match administration.
Objective: win points by serving and returning the ball so the opposing pair cannot make a legal return before the second bounce.
Players, court, and equipment: standard padel is doubles on a 10-by-20-metre enclosed court; the perforated racket, ball, net, glass, mesh, openings, and safety equipment are regulated.
How play begins: after the pre-match choice of serve, receive, or end, a point begins with an underarm serve hit after one bounce from behind the service line into the diagonally opposite service box.
Possession and turns: pairs alternate shots; after the ball first bounces in the receiving court it may rebound from that court's walls and remain playable, but a player cannot hit twice in succession.
Scoring: standard FIP scoring uses tennis-style points, games, and sets, with a tie-break at 6–6 unless the event regulations select an authorised alternative.
Length and winner: a match is normally best of three sets, so the first pair to win two sets wins; there is no overall match clock in the basic format.
Main faults: two bounces, a ball landing out before legal wall contact, illegal service height or position, touching the net, double hits, body contact, and prohibited reach or court-exit play lose the point.
Restarts and penalties: a first-service fault permits a second serve, a let replays the service or point when the rules require it, and conduct or time breaches follow the applicable competition code.
Competition differences: golden-point scoring, court exits, ball changes, coaching, warm-ups, breaks, and event formats may vary, so check the organiser's regulations alongside the FIP playing rules.
Rules, scoring, serving, and walls: how padel points start, when the ball may use the glass, what counts as out, and how doubles rallies are decided.
Ball in and out rules: first-bounce calls, lines, direct wall or fence contact, second bounces, serves, and out-of-court exceptions.
Faults and lost point rules: double bounces, net touches, wrong returns, player contact, double hits, service faults, and out-of-court lost points.
Code of conduct and penalty rules: warnings, point losses, disqualification, time violations, coach sanctions, delays, abuse, attire, and match-area control.
Out-of-court play rules: when players may leave the court, what safety authorization requires, and how side exits, gates, and end walls change the ruling.
Match formats and set rules: best of three sets, short sets, deciding-set options, match tiebreaks, and format mistakes.
Tiebreak rules explained: when a tiebreak starts, first-to-seven scoring, two-point margins, service order, receiving order, and match tiebreak variations.
Warm-up and coin toss rules: pre-match choices, first server and receiver, the 3-minute courtesy rally, and restart warm-ups.
Change of ends and rest period rules: odd-game changeovers, tiebreak side changes, timing limits, end-of-set breaks, and forgotten-change corrections.
Referee decisions and appeals explained: umpire rulings, let requests, interference calls, conduct penalties, correction of mistakes, and when formal protests depend on competition rules.
Net rules and interference: net touches, reaching over, player contact, obstruction, hindrance, and replayed points.
Let rules and replay points: service lets, receiver-not-ready calls, outside interruptions, accidental interference, and when officials replay the point.
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