The Rules of Padel Tennis: A Beginner’s Guide

Are you interested in learning the basic rules of padel tennis? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Padel tennis, often just referred to as “padel,” is a fun and exciting racquet sport that originated in Mexico and has spread throughout the world.

Before getting started with padel, it’s important to understand the basic rules. While some of the rules may be similar to other racquet sports like tennis, there are some differences to keep in mind.

The Court

The court in padel tennis is similar in size to a doubles tennis court, measuring 20m by 10m. However, padel courts are enclosed by four walls, which means that the ball can be played off the walls during a rally.

The Serve

The server must stand behind the baseline and serve underarm into the opponent’s service box. The serve must clear the net and land in the service box diagonally opposite without touching any of the walls.

The Return

The returning player or players must let the ball bounce once before returning it. After that, they can play it off the walls if they wish. Unlike tennis, there is no second serve in padel.

The Rally

The rally continues until one of the following happens:

1. The ball hits the net and doesn’t go over.
2. The ball goes out of bounds.
3. The ball hits one of the walls and bounces out of bounds.
4. The ball bounces more than once before being returned.
5. One of the players or the equipment touches the net or the walls.

Scoring

Scoring is the same as in tennis, with each point being worth 15 points. The first player or team to win four points wins the game, but the scoring system is a bit different. The first point won counts as 15, the second point as 30, the third point as 40, and the fourth point as the game.

If the game reaches a score of 40-40, it’s called “deuce.” The player who wins the next point earns “advantage.” If that player wins the next point, they win the game. If the player who is behind wins the next point, it goes back to deuce.

Faults and Penalties

Just like in other racquet sports, padel has its own set of faults and penalties. Some common ones include:

1. Touching the net or the walls with the racquet or the body.
2. Hitting the ball out of bounds.
3. Hitting the ball more than once before returning it.
4. Failing to let the ball bounce once before hitting it.

These are just a few of the basic rules of padel tennis. As you start playing and watching more padel matches, you’ll learn more of the nuances of the sport. Have fun on the court, and remember to always play within the rules!