How to Play Padel: A Step-by-Step Beginner's Guide

Padel is quick to pick up. The court is small, the serve is underarm and the walls keep the ball in play, so beginners can have long rallies from the first session. This tutorial takes you through a match step by step. It follows the International Padel Federation's Rules of Padel. For the full rulebook in plain English, see our padel rules guide.

Step 1: Pairs and sides

Padel is played in doubles: two pairs, one on each side of the net. Each pair splits its half of the court down the middle, so one player covers the left and the other the right.

The rules fix each pair's receiving order for the whole set, so decide before you start who plays where. Many players call these the backhand side (left, for right-handers) and the forehand side (right).

Step 2: Toss for serve and warm up

The pairs toss a coin. The winner chooses whether to serve, receive or pick an end, and the other pair gets the remaining choice. In competition the rules allow a three-minute warm-up.

Step 3: Serve underarm, diagonally

Each game begins with a serve from the right-hand side of the court. The server:

1. stands behind the service line, between the centre line and the side wall
2. bounces the ball on the ground
3. hits it at or below waist height, with at least one foot on the ground
4. sends it diagonally over the net into the opponent's service box

You get two attempts, as in tennis. After each point the server moves to the other side. The same player serves the whole game, and the serve then passes to the other pair. Our serving tutorial goes through the technique.

Step 4: Return the serve after one bounce

The receiver must let the serve bounce in their box, then return it before it bounces again. The return can go anywhere in the opponents' half. Two safe options are a low return towards the feet of the server's partner at the net, or a lob over their head.

The serve can come off your glass after bouncing in the box, and you can still return it. If it hits the metal mesh after the bounce, it is a fault.

Step 5: Keep the rally going and use the walls

Once the ball is in play, two principles cover almost everything:

• Your shot must land on the floor before it touches the opponents' walls. Hitting their glass or fence first loses the point.
• On your side, once the ball has bounced, the walls are in play. Let the ball come off the back or side glass and hit it after it rebounds, as long as it has not bounced twice.

Beginners tend to rush the ball before it reaches the wall. Try the opposite: step back with the ball, let it come off the glass, and hit it as it comes towards you. You can also hit the ball into your own wall so that it carries over the net, which is a useful escape when a ball has got behind you.

Step 6: Get to the net

The net is the attacking position in padel. The pair at the net can volley and smash, while the pair at the back defends. A good habit for beginners is to move forward together after a good serve or return, and back together when a lob goes over your heads.

The lob, a high ball over the opponents who are at the net, is the main way to push them back. When you are defending from the back of the court, a deep lob buys time and lets your pair move forward again.

Step 7: Keep score like tennis

Padel uses tennis scoring:

• Points go 15, 30, 40, game.
• A set is won by the first pair to six games with a two-game lead. At 6-6, a tie-break is played to seven points.
• A match is the best of three sets.

At 40-40, check which format your match uses. With advantage, a pair must win two points in a row. With the golden point, one deciding point settles the game and the receiving pair chooses who receives it. Professional tours use the Star Point format, where the third deuce goes to a single deciding point.

Change ends after the first game, the third game and every odd game after that in each set.

Step 8: Know the most common faults

You lose the point if:

• the ball bounces twice on your side
• your shot hits the opponents' wall or fence before their floor
• your shot touches the mesh or floor on your own side
• you or your racket touch the net
• the ball hits you or your partner

Tips for your first match

• Book a lesson or a beginners' session. A coach can show you how to let the ball come off the glass, which is the hardest habit to learn.
• Wear court shoes. You will move sideways and stop sharply, so running shoes are not ideal. Check whether the club has footwear rules.
• Ask about racket hire before buying your own.
• Agree the format first: golden point or advantage, and how long you are playing.
• Talk to your partner. Calling "mine" or "yours" on balls down the middle saves a lot of points.

Ready to play? Find clubs near you in our directory of padel courts.