Padel is a doubles racket sport, played on an enclosed court surrounded by glass walls and mesh fencing. It combines features of tennis and squash, with simple rules that make it easy for beginners to learn. Below are the core official FIP basic rules.

1. Court & Equipment

Standard court size: 20m long × 10m wide, fully enclosed.

Played only in doubles format (2 vs 2). Singles padel exists recreationally but is not used for official tournaments.

Solid stringless padel racket, low-compression padel ball (similar pressure to tennis ball).

A net divides the court into two halves.

2. Service Rule (Critical Difference from Tennis)

Serve must be underhand, hit below waist level. Overhand serves are forbidden.

Server stands behind the baseline, inside the service square.

The ball must bounce once inside the diagonal opponent service box first; after bouncing, the ball may hit the back glass wall.

The receiver must let the ball bounce once before returning the serve. You cannot volley the serve.

One serve attempt per point (no second serve). Fault if the serve lands outside the service box.

3. Rally Rules

After the serve: Players can hit the ball either before or after its first bounce on the ground.

The ball can bounce maximum once on the court surface. Two bounces = point loss.

The ball can hit the side/back glass walls or metal fencing any number of times, as long as it stays inside the enclosure.

Important: Players are allowed to run outside the white court lines to hit the ball. Your position does not cause a fault.

The rally ends if:

The ball bounces twice on the court;

The ball lands on the ground outside the court boundary;

The ball flies over the top fence out of the enclosure;

A player touches the net, posts or glass with body/racket during the rally.

4. Scoring System

Padel uses the same scoring system as tennis:

Points: 15 / 30 / 40 / Game

Games make up a set. Usually best of 3 sets.

Deuce rule applies: After 40-40, you need two consecutive points to win the game.

Tiebreak will be played when sets are tied (depends on tournament format).

5. Common Misunderstandings

❌ Myth: You cannot step outside the white court lines.

✅ Fact: Players can freely move outside boundary lines to retrieve balls rebounding from glass.

❌ Myth: You can serve overhead like tennis.

✅ Fact: All serves must be underhand. Overhand serve is an immediate fault.

❌ Myth: You cannot hit the ball off the glass walls.

✅ Fact: Hitting the ball after it rebounds from glass is one of the core tactics of padel.

Tips for Venue Investors

New players will quickly pick up padel thanks to these simple rules. Panoramic glass padel courts offer better visibility for spectators and create great social media content. Cangzhou Yunxinda manufactures FIP-standard panoramic and conventional padel courts for global commercial clubs.