From Serve to Match Point: Padel Rules and Scoring Explained

As a padel player, you must know the rules and scoring to enjoy the game fully. Padel is a fast-paced and fun sport that requires skill, strategy, and technique. Padel is a combination of tennis and squash, played on a smaller court with lower nets and glass walls. The sport is gaining popularity rapidly around the world, and understanding the rules and scoring can help you become a better player. In this article, we will explain the padel rules and scoring, so that you can have a better understanding of the game.

The Basics and Padel Court

The padel court is rectangular with a size of 20 meters by 10 meters and divided by a net that is 88 cm high at the center. The court is surrounded by glass walls on three sides, with the back wall being made of solid material, and the upper part of the walls also has a mesh screen. The playing surface can be made of concrete, asphalt, or artificial turf.

Each match is played by two players on each team, and the serve is always underhand. The ball must first hit the ground before hitting the net, and if it passes the net and hits the opponent’s court, it is considered a valid serve. When playing, players must avoid hitting the ball against the walls before it bounces on the ground, as this counts as a fault.

Scoring in Padel

Padel uses a similar scoring system to tennis. The game starts with a coin toss to determine who serves first, and then the first serve alternates between the teams every game. The first team to reach six games with a two-point lead wins the set. If the game score is tied at 6-6, a tiebreaker game is played.

In the tiebreaker, the first team to reach seven points with a two-point lead wins. In the case of a 6-6 tie, the player who served the first point in the tiebreaker game serves the first point in the next game.

Scoring Language in Padel

When the server is serving, the score is always mentioned with their score first and the opponent’s score last. For example, if the server’s team has won two points and the opponents have won one, then the score is called as “30-15” in padel language.

Padel also has its own specific scoring language. For example, the score of three points for the server is known as “40,” and the score of four points for the server is known as “game.” When there is a tie with both teams having three points each, the score is called “deuce.” From there, the team that needs to win the next point to win the game gets the advantage, and it is called “advantage-in” or “advantage-out,” depending on the serving team.

Fouls and Penalties in Padel

To win a match, you must not only play well but must also avoid making any errors and fouls. Fouling in padel can result in the opponent receiving one point or even the entire game, depending on the severity of the foul committed.

The following are the most common fouls and penalties in padel:

– If the ball hits a player before it bounces on the ground, the other team wins a point.

– If the ball hits any of the glass walls other than the one before the server, then the other team wins a point.

– If the ball hits the net and falls on the server’s side, then it is a fault and the other team wins a point.

– If the server misses the ball, it is a fault and the other team wins a point unless it is due to a wind gust.

In conclusion, understanding the padel rules and scoring can give you an edge over the opponent in the game. Knowing the rules and scoring can also help you enjoy the game more and appreciate the skill involved in playing padel.

At the end of the day, just remember to have fun, be a good sport and follow the padel rules explained in this article.