A small court, a different kind of rally
Padel is primarily a doubles racket sport played on a 20 × 10 metre enclosed court. A net divides the two teams. The glass walls are part of play, allowing a ball to rebound after it has bounced on the court. This adds a tactical dimension to positioning and shot choice.
Rackets, balls and the underarm serve
Padel uses a solid, perforated racket rather than a strung tennis racket. Players use padel balls and serve underarm after a bounce, striking at or below waist height. The first serve is from behind the service line, diagonally into the opposing service box.
Scoring and playing together
Traditional scoring follows tennis: 15, 30, 40 and game, with sets built from games. Event formats can vary, so agree the rules before playing. Doubles communication, patience and positioning are as important as hitting hard.
Why the walls matter
A ball must bounce on the opponents’ court before hitting their wall. On your side, you may let the ball bounce and rebound from glass before returning it, provided it has not bounced a second time. The official FIP rules explain situations involving fencing, service faults and out-of-court play.
Sources and further reading
Sources inform general guidance; they do not establish a diagnosis or imply a clinician’s approval of this article.