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The Rules of Padel



THE POINTS

  • Padel borrows its scoring system from tennis.

  • It takes 6 games to win a set, and the team that wins 2 sets wins the match.

  • A game is structured exactly like in tennis: 15/0, 30/0, 40/0, advantage, deuce, etc.

  • In case of a tie at 6/6, a tiebreak is played like in tennis.

THE SERVE

  • The serve is made diagonally like in tennis, with 2 service attempts (first and second serve).

  • The server stands behind the service line, on their side of the diagonal.

  • The receiver can position themselves anywhere on the court, in the server's diagonal.

  • The server first bounces the ball and then hits it below the waist. The ball and the server are behind the line.

  • If the ball does not bounce in the box, stays in the net, or hits the fence before bouncing, it is a fault.

  • If it bounces in the box and then hits the fence, it is a fault.

  • The ball can hit the glass after bouncing in the service box.

  • If the ball hits the net and bounces in the box, it is a let, and the serve is replayed.

THE GAME

  • Once the ball is in play, all balls that cross the net must first bounce on the ground of the opponent's side before hitting a wall.

  • You can hit the ball on the volley.

  • Players can hit the ball after it bounces off a wall to return it to the opponent's side.

  • You can hit the ball so that it bounces off the glass part of your own side to send it over to the other side of the net.

  • Of course, like in tennis, the ball can only bounce once on your side, and it can only be hit once.

  • You can smash the ball hard enough so that after the bounce it goes out of the court boundaries!

  • But the opposing team can go retrieve it and try to return it to play.

IN SUMMARY, WHEN DO WE LOSE THE POINT?

  • If we let the ball bounce twice.

  • If we miss our serve twice (into the net, out of the box, against the fence).

  • If we hit directly against the glass or the opponent's fence.

  • If we touch the opponent's ball with the help of our own fence.

  • If we touch the net, the net post, or anything else on the opponent's side with our body or racket.