Official Padel Rules (FIP International Standard, Updated 2026)

Padel is governed by the International Padel Federation (FIP). It is exclusively a doubles sport (2 vs 2); official singles padel does not exist in sanctioned tournaments.

1. Standard Court Specifications

Official internal dimensions: 20 m long × 10 m wide

Divided by a net height: 88 cm at center, 92 cm at posts

Service lines: 6.95 m from the net on each side; split into left/right service boxes

Surroundings:

  Back wall: Full 4 m high safety tempered glass

  Side walls: 3 m height (lower glass + upper metal mesh), with open door gaps on both sides

  Minimum indoor ceiling height: 6 m

Surface: UV-resistant artificial grass (blue/green standard)

2. Serving Rules (Most Distinct from Tennis)

Core Serve Requirements

1. Underarm drop serve only:

Let the ball fall naturally, bounce once on the ground, then strike the ball below waist height. No overhead tossing & serving allowed.

2. Stance:

Both feet stay behind the baseline, inside the service box zone; no stepping on lines before contact.

3. Direction: Must serve cross-court diagonally into the opponent’s service box.

4. Two serve attempts:

1st serve fault → 2nd serve; double fault = opponent wins the point.

Valid / Fault Serve Judgements

✅ Let (replay serve): Serve clips the net cord and lands correctly inside the service box

❌ Fault:

Serve lands outside the service box

Ball bounces inside the box then hits side metal mesh before the receiver strikes it

Overarm serve, hitting above waist, foot fault

Serve directly hits back glass without landing in the service box first

3. Rally & Wall Play Rules (The Soul of Padel)

Fundamental Principle

Only floor bounces count; wall/glass/mesh contact never counts as a bounce.

You must return the ball before it bounces twice on your court floor to keep the rally alive.

Legal Wall Plays

1. After 1 floor bounce on your side: the ball may hit back glass / side walls, then you hit it back over the net.

2. You can actively hit the ball into your own back wall to rebound it across the net.

3. Iconic out-of-court retrieval:

If the ball bounces once inside your court then flies out through the side door gaps (not over the back glass), you may run outside the court to hit it before the second bounce, then send it back into the opponent’s court.

Illegal Shots (You Lose the Point)

1. Ball bounces twice on your side floor before you hit it

2. Your shot hits the opponent’s wall/glass without first bouncing on their court floor

3. Ball flies directly over the back glass wall (out of bounds, no retrieval permitted)

4. You reach over the net to strike the ball

5. The ball hits your body/hand before you hit it with the racket

4. Scoring System (2 Official Modes, FIP 2026 Update)

Basic Game Scoring (Same as Tennis)

Points: 15 → 30 → 40 → Game

Deuce: 40-40

Advantage: Winner of next point gains advantage; win the following point to claim the game

Two Deuce Rules (2026 FIP Regulation)

1. Traditional Rule (Club Recreational):

Unlimited deuce; keep playing until one pair wins two consecutive points after deuce.

2. Star Point (Default for All Professional Tours: Premier Padel / FIP World Tour):

Max 2 advantages after the first deuce; the 3rd deuce triggers a decisive Star Point.

The receiving pair chooses which side to receive the decisive point

Winner of the Star Point takes the game immediately

Set Format

A set is won by the first pair to win 6 games

If tied 6-6: 7-point tiebreak (win by 2 clear points) to decide the set (final score recorded as 7-6)

Match Format (Official Tournament)

1. Best of 3 sets: Standard pro match

2. If tied 1 set all: Replace the 3rd set with a 10-point match tiebreak (win by 2 points) to decide the whole matchAmerican P...

5. Serving Rotation & End Changing

1. One player serves an entire game; partners alternate serving games within the pair

2. After every odd-numbered game (1,3,5…), pairs switch court sides (max 90 seconds break)

3. Between full sets: maximum 120 seconds rest

4. Time limit between points: strictly 20 seconds to ensure continuous play

6. Common Situations & Rulings

1. Ball cracks mid-rally: Let is called; replay the point

2. Accidental external interference (bird, stray ball): Let, repeat the point

3. Deliberate distraction/interference: Opponent awarded the point

4. Ball hits net post/frame then lands in bounds: Valid play continues

7. Equipment Standard

Padel racket: Solid frame with no string holes (distinct from tennis rackets)

Ball: Same pressure & size as tennis balls