Dodging Penalties: Understanding the Padel Doubles Rules

If you want to avoid penalties in padel doubles, understanding the rules is critical. This fast-paced sport that originated in Mexico is now widely popular all over the world, and there’s a good reason why. With its unique blend of tennis and racquetball, padel provides a thrilling experience for players and spectators alike.

In this article, we’ll provide an overview of the basic padel doubles rules that all players should know. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned player, following these rules will keep you out of trouble and help you enjoy the game even more.

The Court and Equipment

Padel is played on a court that measures 20 meters by 10 meters. The court is surrounded by walls that are 3 meters high. The playing area is divided into two halves by a net that is 0.88 meters high. Both sides of the court have a service box that is 4 meters wide and 5 meters deep. The ball used in padel doubles is similar to a tennis ball, but it’s slightly smaller and less pressurized.

The Serve

The serve in padel doubles must be done underhanded, and the ball must always be hit diagonally to the opponent’s half of the court. The server must stand behind the service line and cannot step on or cross it until after the ball has been hit. Once the ball is in play, both players on the serving team can move freely around the court.

If the serve hits the net but lands in the correct box, it’s called a let serve, and the server gets to try again. If the serve hits the net and lands outside the correct box, it’s considered a fault, and the opponent earns a point. A serve that goes out of bounds is also a fault.

The Return

After the serve, the opposing team must return the ball by hitting it back over the net and into the opponent’s court. The ball can only bounce once on the ground before being returned, and it must also hit the wall before it touches the ground.

The Rally

Once the ball is in play, a rally begins. During a rally, both teams can hit the ball as many times as they want, and the ball can bounce off the walls as many times as necessary. However, the ball cannot touch the same wall twice before being returned, and it cannot be hit out of bounds.

If the ball hits the net and lands in bounds on the opponent’s side, the rally continues. If it hits the net and fails to cross over to the opponent’s side, it’s considered a fault, and the opponent earns a point.

The Scoring

Padel doubles is played on a points system. Each game is made up of several points, and the first team to win six points wins the game. However, the team must win by at least two points. If the game is tied at six points each, a tiebreaker game is played.

If a team commits a fault, the opposing team earns a point. The team with the highest number of points at the end of the game wins. In case of a tie, a deciding point is played.

The Conclusion

In conclusion, padel doubles is an exciting and addictive sport that’s easy to learn but challenging to master. While understanding the rules is critical, so is having fun. Remember, padel is all about enjoying yourself and playing with sportsmanship.

By following these basic padel doubles rules, you’ll be well on your way to playing like a pro. So grab a partner, a racquet, and a ball, and hit the court. Who knows? You might just become the next padel champion!