How to Serve in Padel: Rules, Targets & 4 Drills

A reliable padel serve is a controlled underarm shot: bounce the ball in your service box, strike it at or below waist height and send it diagonally into the opposite service box. Consistency and the next position matter more than maximum speed. A good serve starts the rally on your terms and gives you time to move forward with your partner.

This guide separates the official rules from technique. It then gives you three clear targets, a first-versus-second-serve plan and four drills you can measure. If you only want the broader scoring and wall rules, start with our padel rules guide.

The legal padel serve: current rules

The official 2026 FIP Rules of Padel define the serve in Rules 6, 7 and 9. These are the essentials:

1. Use the correct service box. At the start of the stroke, one foot must be behind the service line, between the imaginary extension of the centre line and the side wall. That foot stays in that area until contact.
2. Do not touch the lines with your feet. Neither the service line nor the imaginary centre-line extension may be stepped on during the action.
3. Bounce before contact. Bounce the ball inside your own service box without letting it cross the service line or imaginary centre line before you hit it.
4. Contact at or below waist height. At least one foot must remain in contact with the ground. An overhead tennis serve is therefore not legal.
5. Serve diagonally. The first bounce must land in the opposite service box; its boundary lines count as in. Start each game from the right and alternate sides after every point.
6. You have two attempts. A failed first serve leaves a second serve. Two faults lose the point.

After a legal first bounce, contact with the glass is allowed. If the ball touches the metal fence before its second bounce, the serve is a fault. If it clips the net and otherwise lands legally without then hitting the fence, it is a net and the serve is replayed. A first-service let restores a first serve; a second-service let repeats the second serve.

A useful 2026 detail is easy to miss: the current text requires one foot behind the service line at the start of the stroke, not both. It still prohibits stepping on the service or centre-line extension and requires at least one foot on the ground at impact. Follow local competition instructions if an organiser applies an additional procedure.

How to serve in six repeatable steps

1. Start balanced

Stand comfortably inside the correct service box, side-on enough that your shoulders can rotate without tension. Keep the racket in front rather than hidden behind your body. A neutral continental-style grip makes it easier to use the same compact action for a straight or sliced serve.

2. Choose one reliable bounce point

Drop the ball slightly in front of your hitting-side hip. The goal is not the highest possible bounce; it is a repeatable contact point. If the ball drifts too far forward, you reach. If it stays behind you, the swing becomes cramped.

3. Use a compact backswing

Let the racket move back smoothly with a relaxed hand. Beginners often create timing problems by copying a large tennis forehand. The serve begins the point; it does not need a dramatic wind-up.

4. Contact in front at or below the waist

Transfer your weight gently toward the target and meet the ball in front of the body. Keep your head stable through contact. Think “through the target” rather than “down at the ball”. The LTA serving guide also emphasises a controlled underarm action and diagonal target.

5. Add slice only after direction is stable

A slight high-to-low brushing action can add slice and keep the rebound lower, but excessive cut often costs depth and accuracy. First hit ten legal serves to one large target. Then add a small amount of spin without changing the bounce or contact height.

6. Finish balanced and move

Let the racket finish toward the target and recover immediately. The serve is not complete when the ball crosses the net: it is complete when you and your partner occupy a useful attacking position. Move forward under control and use a split step as the receiver strikes. Our padel footwork guide explains that timing.

Where should you aim?

Target	Why it helps	Main risk
T or centre	Reduces the receiver's angle and gives you a large margin from the side wall	A predictable serve can be blocked comfortably
Body	Can make the receiver decide late between forehand and backhand	Too central or slow may sit up
Side glass	May force the receiver to judge the rebound or take the ball early	Over-aiming can find the fence or miss wide

The French Tennis Federation's service advice highlights low trajectory, forward movement and variation. Use that as a sequence: build height control first, learn one dependable target, then vary direction. Do not disguise an unreliable serve by constantly changing speed and spin.

First serve and second serve need different margins

Your first serve can use a more ambitious line or firmer pace, but it should still be a high-percentage start. On second serve, enlarge the target, reduce spin and leave more net and sideline margin. Avoid a completely different “push” motion: under pressure, one familiar action with a safer target is easier to repeat.

Set a simple practice standard: make at least 8 of 10 second serves before adding speed to the first serve. That is a training benchmark, not a universal performance claim. Adjust it as your consistency improves.

What should happen after the serve?

In doubles, the serving team normally wants to establish the net. Move forward as the ball travels, but do not run through the receiver's contact. Your partner should adjust with you so the pair does not create a large middle or sideline gap. The doubles positioning guide shows the shared movement, while the volley guide covers the likely next shot.

Expect the receiver to choose between a low return and a lob. Our service-return guide explains those options from the other side of the net; reading it helps you predict what your serve may produce.

Six common serve mistakes

1. Chasing power first: speed magnifies a poor bounce or contact point.
2. Contacting above the waist: lower the bounce or let the ball fall before striking.
3. Stepping on the line: create a small visible gap instead of starting with your toe against it.
4. Using too much slice: build direction and depth before adding more spin.
5. Watching the serve instead of moving: recover forward as soon as balance allows.
6. Serving without a target: choose T, body or glass before beginning the bounce.

Four practical serving drills

Drill 1: 20 legal contacts

Serve 10 balls from each side at medium pace. Score only legality: correct bounce, legal height, no foot fault and correct box. Restart a set of five after two consecutive faults. This isolates the action before accuracy pressure.

Drill 2: Three-zone ladder

Mark safe target areas toward the T, body and side glass with flat markers. Hit five serves to each area from both sides. Award one point for the correct box and two for the chosen zone. Record the total rather than remembering only the best ball.

Drill 3: First-plus-second pair

Play 10 simulated points. Choose an ambitious but sensible first target. If it misses, immediately hit a second serve to your safest zone. Score one point only when the sequence ends with a legal serve. The drill teaches recovery after a first fault.

Drill 4: Serve, move, first volley

With a partner, serve, advance and split as the return is struck. The receiver blocks a controlled ball to your first-volley zone. Your aim is a balanced first volley, not a winner. Alternate serving sides and return directions. Warm up before increasing pace; the 12-minute padel warm-up gives a simple structure.

A focused 10-minute session

• 2 minutes: repeat the bounce and contact without targets
• 3 minutes: serve to the T from both sides
• 3 minutes: alternate body and side-glass targets
• 2 minutes: first-plus-second pressure pairs

Track legal percentage and target score separately. If legality falls, reduce pace. If serves are legal but easy to attack, improve depth, height and target variation one variable at a time.

Frequently asked questions

Can you serve overhand in padel?

No. The ball must be struck at or below waist height after a bounce, with at least one foot on the ground.

Can a padel serve hit the glass?

Yes, after the ball first lands in the correct service box. A serve that hits the metal fence before the second bounce is a fault.

Is a net serve replayed?

Yes, if the ball touches the net or post and then otherwise lands legally without hitting the fence before the second bounce. The applicable first or second serve is replayed as described above.

How hard should a beginner serve?

Only as hard as you can keep the bounce, contact height, target and recovery repeatable. Build a dependable second serve before testing extra pace.

Does racket choice fix a weak serve?

No. Technique and repetition come first. Once you understand your overall game, compare shape, weight, balance and core in the racket selection guide. If you are ready for your own equipment, browse the currently available Cobra Padel rackets without treating a new racket as a shortcut.