Padel rules are easy to learn, and most beginners can play a full game after a few minutes of explanation. This guide covers the serve, how the walls work, and how scoring works, so you know what to expect on your first day on court.
Last updated: October 2026.
The basics of padel
- Padel is played in doubles, by two teams of two.
- The court is 20 metres by 10 metres, divided by a net, and enclosed by glass and mesh walls.
- Teams hit the ball over the net with a solid, stringless racket.
- The ball may bounce once on the floor on your side before you return it.
New to the sport? Start with what is padel.
How to serve in padel
- Bounce the ball first. The server lets the ball bounce on the floor before hitting it.
- Hit underarm. The ball is hit at or below waist height.
- Serve diagonally. The ball must land in the opponents' service box on the opposite side of the court.
- Two attempts. If both serves are faults, the other team wins the point.
The serve alternates between the two sides of the court, and each player on a team serves in turn.
How the walls work
The walls are what make padel different from tennis. The main points are:
- After your return crosses the net and bounces on the floor, it may hit the opponents' back or side walls and stay in play.
- Your return must reach the opponents' side of the court before it touches a wall or the fence. If it hits their wall before it has bounced, you lose the point.
- Once the ball has bounced on your side, you can let it hit your own wall, then play it back over the net.
- You can't hit the ball twice, and the ball can't bounce twice on the floor on your side.
Learning to read the rebound off the glass is the hardest, and most enjoyable, part of the sport.
Padel scoring explained
Padel uses the same scoring as tennis.
- Points in a game: 15, 30, 40, then game.
- Deuce: if both teams reach 40, you play on until one team leads by two points (advantage, then game). Some clubs and competitions use a golden point instead, where a single deciding point is played at deuce. Ask your venue which format they use.
- Sets: the first team to win six games wins the set, by at least two games.
- Tie-break: at six games all, play a tie-break. The first team to seven points, with a two-point margin, wins it.
- Match: most matches are the best of three sets.
Common beginner mistakes
- Serving overarm or above waist height.
- Rushing to hit before the ball has come off the wall.
- Standing too far back. Move up to the net as a pair when you can.
- Playing too hard. Control and placement win more points than power.
A short lesson will fix most of these. See our padel lessons for private lessons, group classes and courses.
Playing your first match at Padel Point
At Padel Point in Bankstown you can book a court online, hire rackets from $5 and balls for $3 a session (see prices), and play on four indoor panoramic courts. If you want a social game with new people, join one of our events, such as the Saturday Americano.
If you're deciding on equipment, read how to choose a padel racket.
Padel rules: FAQs
Can you hit the ball before it bounces in padel?
Yes. You can volley the ball in the air on your side of the net before it bounces, as in tennis. The serve is the exception, because it must bounce before you hit it.
Can you hit the ball off the wall?
Yes. After the ball has bounced on the floor, you can play it off the wall on your side, and the ball can also bounce off the opponents' walls after it has bounced on their floor.
Is padel scoring the same as tennis?
Yes. It uses 15, 30, 40 and game, with sets and a tie-break at six games all.
Why is the serve underarm in padel?
The underarm serve keeps the server's advantage small and the rallies long, which is part of why padel is easy to start and fun to play.
Who sets the official rules?
The International Padel Federation (FIP) sets the official rules for the sport. Individual clubs and competitions may use small variations, such as the golden point. For background on the sport and its rules, see Padel on Wikipedia.
Want to put the rules into practice? Book a court at Padel Point or contact us to find the right lesson.
