The new and highly popular sport of padel has probably caught your attention. Even if you haven't played it yourself, you've likely heard enthusiastic stories from friends or family members. Padel is often described as a mix between squash and tennis, which is somewhat accurate, although it has its own set of rules and nuances. In this blog, we'll give you insight into how padel works and what the rules are.
These are the padel rules
Padel is played on a padel court, which resembles a tennis court. The court is divided into two halves with a net in the middle. Each half is further divided into two service boxes and a backcourt. A padel court is smaller than a tennis court and is surrounded by glass walls and fences, which are essential parts of the game.
Padel is generally played in doubles format, although singles is also an option, albeit less common.
How does padel scoring work?
The scoring in padel follows the same principles as tennis: 15, 30, 40, and then the game. If the score is tied at 40-40 (deuce), a team must win two consecutive points to win the game. A padel set is won by reaching 6 games, with a minimum of two games difference. If the score is 6-5, an additional game is played. At 7-5, the set is won, but at 6-6, a tiebreak follows. In the tiebreak, the first team to reach 7 points, with a minimum of 2 points difference, wins the set. Matches are typically best-of-three sets, meaning the first team to win two sets wins the match.
What are the serving rules in padel?
Similar to tennis, a point begins with a serve from behind the baseline. The first serve is made from the right side and must be hit diagonally into the service box of the opposing team's right side. Unlike tennis, the ball must bounce on the ground before being hit underhand over the net. Additionally, the ball must not rise above the navel height after the bounce before being served.
The ball must not touch the net, and if it does before landing in the opponent's box, the serve must be replayed. If the ball does not land in the opponent's box at all, you get one more chance. If you still fail, your opponent wins the point. After this point, you serve from the left, diagonally to the opposing side, and continue doing so until the game is over.