Padel Rules for Beginners: Scoring, Serving and Playing Off the Walls
Scoring, the underarm serve and how to play off the walls: the essential padel rules every new player needs to know.
Padel is easy to pick up, but the walls and serve rules can confuse new players. This guide covers the essentials so you can step onto the court with confidence.
The court and players
Padel is almost always played as doubles on a court 20 m long and 10 m wide, divided by a net and enclosed by glass walls and metal mesh. The walls are part of the game.
Scoring
Scoring works like tennis: points go 15, 30, 40 and game. If both teams reach 40 (deuce), you usually need two clear points to win the game. Many social matches use a golden point instead, where the next point at 40–40 decides the game. The first team to win six games, with a two-game lead, wins the set. Matches are usually best of three sets.
The serve
- Serve underarm: bounce the ball behind the service line and hit it at or below waist height.
- Serve diagonally into your opponents' service box.
- After bouncing in the box, the ball may hit the glass, but a serve that then hits the metal mesh is a fault.
- You have two attempts, as in tennis.
Playing off the walls
- After the ball bounces on your side, it can hit your walls and you can still return it.
- You can also hit the ball against your own walls to send it back over the net.
- Your shot must land in your opponents' court before it touches their walls or fence.
- The ball can only bounce once on your side of the court.
Other basics
- You can volley (hit the ball before it bounces), except when returning a serve.
- You lose the point if the ball touches you or your partner.
- Teams change ends after odd-numbered games.
What you need to start
A racket, a tube of balls and comfortable court shoes. New players often start with a forgiving racket – read our racket buying guide. Playing with a partner? The VEA Diamond Pro 2-Pack includes two rackets and balls, and our padel balls come in packs from 1 to 24 tubes.
Frequently asked questions
Can you play padel as singles?
Yes, on narrower singles courts, but doubles is far more common.
Is padel easier than tennis?
Most beginners find it easier to start rallying because the court is smaller and the walls keep the ball in play.
