Padel looks confusing the first time you watch it. A glass box, walls that are somehow in play, underarm serves. But the rules are simpler than they look. Most people pick them up within their first game.
Here's everything you need to know before stepping on court.
The Court
A padel court is 20 metres long and 10 metres wide. That's roughly a third of a tennis court's surface area. The back walls and parts of the side walls are glass (or solid material), standing about 3 metres high. Above the glass on the sides, there's wire mesh fencing up to about 4 metres.
A net divides the court in half, just like tennis. It sits at 88cm in the centre, slightly lower than a tennis net.
There are no tramlines to worry about. The full width of the court is always in play. Each side has a service box marked on the ground, divided by a central service line.
At Green Padel Club, all six courts follow official dimensions. The RealDeal Center Court and Eurobank court are popular for matches, while courts like the LG and Powerade are just as good for casual games and coaching.
Always Doubles
Padel is played as doubles. Two players per side, four on court total. Singles padel technically exists, but almost nobody plays it. The court is too wide for one person to cover, and the game loses its best quality: the fast exchanges and teamwork at the net.
If you only have two or three people, most clubs (us included) can help you find playing partners through Playtomic. Problem solved.
Scoring: Same as Tennis
If you know tennis scoring, you already know padel scoring.
Points go: 0, 15, 30, 40, game. Deuce at 40-40, then advantage, then game. Six games wins a set, and you need to win by two games or play a tiebreak at 6-6. Matches are best of three sets.
That's it. No weird padel-specific scoring to learn.
One small note: some casual games and tournaments use a "golden point" rule at deuce instead of advantage. This means at 40-40, the next point wins the game. The receiving team gets to choose which side the serve goes to. Golden point speeds up matches and has become pretty standard in World Padel Tour events. Ask your opponents before the match which version you're playing.
The Serve
This is where padel really differs from tennis.
The serve must be underarm. You bounce the ball on the ground and hit it at or below waist height. No overhead smashing allowed. This keeps the serve from being a dominant weapon and means rallies start more evenly.
You serve diagonally, just like tennis. Stand behind the service line on one side, and aim for the opposite service box. The ball must bounce in that box before the returner plays it.
If the ball hits the net and lands in the correct box, it's a let. Serve again. If the ball bounces in the box and then hits the glass wall, that's fine. Legal serve. But if the ball bounces in the box and hits the wire mesh (side fencing), it's a fault.
You get two serves. Miss both and it's a double fault, same as tennis. The server alternates sides after each point, starting from the right.
Walls: The Part That Confuses Everyone
This is the big one. The walls are in play, and this is what makes padel unique.
After the ball bounces on your side, you can let it hit the back wall or side wall and still play it. The ball stays live. You can even run outside the court through the side openings to retrieve a ball that's gone over the glass (though this is an advanced move you'll mostly see in professional matches).
The key rule: the ball must always bounce on the ground on the correct side before hitting a wall. You can't volley the ball into the wall. It has to go over the net, bounce on the floor, and then it can hit any wall and still be in play.
When you're hitting the ball back, it must go directly over the net. You can't play the ball off your own wall to get it to the other side. Your shot must cross the net without touching the walls on your side first.
If the ball hits the back wall before bouncing on the floor, the point is over. The bounce always comes first.
Volleys and Smashes
You can volley in padel (hit the ball before it bounces), just like in tennis. The net is your best friend. Getting to the net and putting away volleys is the core strategy of padel at every level.
Smashes work differently though. In tennis, a smash usually ends the point. In padel, a smash off the back glass often sets up an even longer rally. Experienced players use the "vibora" and "bandeja" (controlled overhead shots) to stay at the net rather than going for outright winners.
One rule to know: if you smash the ball and it bounces on the opponent's side and then flies over the back glass wall, the opponents can leave the court through the side gates and play the ball from outside. This rarely happens in club-level padel, but it's spectacular when it does.
Common Fouls and Faults
A few things that lose you the point:
The ball bounces twice on your side before you hit it. Point over.
You hit the ball into the net. Point to the other team.
The ball hits the wire mesh or walls on your opponent's side before bouncing. This is out.
You touch the net with your body or racket. That's a foul.
You hit the ball before it crosses to your side. Reaching over the net to hit the ball is not allowed.
The serve doesn't bounce in the correct service box. Fault. Two faults and the point goes to the receiver.
Starting Positions
The serving team has one player at the net and one at the baseline (behind the service line). The receiving team usually has both players back, near the baseline.
After the serve, the dynamic shifts. Both teams try to get to the net, because that's the dominant position. The team at the net controls the point. Getting pushed back from the net is a disadvantage.
This is why padel is so tactical. It's not just about hitting hard. Placement, lobs, and soft shots to move your opponents around are all part of the game.
Switching Sides
Teams switch ends after every odd game (after games 1, 3, 5, and so on). This keeps things fair when conditions like sun or wind differ on each side. On indoor courts like ours at Green Padel Club, it's less of a factor, but the rule still applies.
How Long Does a Match Take?
A typical best-of-three-sets padel match lasts between 60 and 90 minutes. Most club bookings at Green Padel Club run for 90 minutes, which gives you plenty of time for a full match plus warm-up. Courts start at €24/hr during off-peak hours.
If you're playing casually, many groups just play timed sets or first-to-X-games formats that fit within their booking. There's no strict requirement to play full sets.
The Fastest Way to Learn
Reading rules is useful. Playing is better. The fastest way to get comfortable is to book a court, grab three friends, and just start hitting. You'll make mistakes. The ball will bounce off the glass in directions you didn't expect. Someone will serve overhand by accident. All normal.
If you want to skip the awkward figuring-it-out phase, book a coaching session. An hour with a coach covers all the rules, basic technique, and positioning. At €80 per session at Green Padel Club, it's the fastest shortcut to actually enjoying the game from day one.
New to the sport entirely? Our beginner's guide to padel covers everything beyond just the rules, from what to wear to how to find playing partners in Limassol.
Green Padel Club is open 7AM to 11:30PM daily. Walk in, call +357 99 790444, or book your court through Playtomic.