Padel

How do I play padel?

Padel is usually played in doubles using an underarm serve, with players able to use the walls after the ball has bounced, and scoring following the same system as tennis. 

Padel is a fast-paced, social racket sport that is often described as a mix between tennis and squash. Predominantly played as doubles, padel is suitable for anyone to play and it’s easy to learn the basic skills.  

All you need is a partner, some basic equipment (see our recommendations below), a court, and away you go. Padel is played on what looks like a smaller tennis court, with a net dividing both sides and glass walls surrounding it – which you can play the ball off to try and win the point. 

So, how do you play padel? We’ve got a whole host of tutorials below to help you pick up the basic skills, and you can head to our rules page to learn more. 

What are the basic padel rules for beginners?

The basic rules of padel are: 

• Padel is usually played in doubles on an enclosed court 
• Points start with an underarm serve after one bounce 
• The ball must bounce on the opponent’s side before hitting the walls 
• Players can use the walls after the ball has bounced on their side 
• A point is won when the opponent fails to return the ball correctly 
• Scoring follows the same system as tennis (15, 30, 40, game) 
• A set is won by reaching six games with a two-game lead 

Here you can learn how to hit a forehand, backhand, serve, volley, and more padel shots to help you get started on court. 

Challenges for tennis players in padel 

If you’re a tennis player looking to start playing padel as well, the biggest challenge at first will be getting used to using the back glass. 

While your instinct might be to play every ball in front of you – like in tennis – the back glass can serve as a huge support once you get used to it. 

When defending, allowing the ball to rebound off the glass can give you more time to hit your return and help you reach tricky shots into the corners.