Padel Rules for Beginners: Scoring, Serve, Walls & 2026 Updates

Padel is easy to start once you understand four things: the tennis-style score, the underhand serve, the one-bounce rule and how the glass works. This beginner guide turns the official rules into practical decisions you can use in your first match.

The information below was checked on 26 August 2026 against the International Padel Federation rules effective from 1 January 2026. Clubs and competitions can choose different approved scoring formats, so confirm the format before you begin.

How is padel played?

Official padel is played by two pairs on a court measuring 10 by 20 metres. A net divides the court, while glass walls and metal fencing form the enclosure. The walls are not merely boundaries: after the ball bounces, they become part of the rally.

The aim is simple. Play the ball into the opponents’ court so they cannot make a legal return before the second bounce. You also win the point when an opponent hits the net, sends the ball directly into your wall before it touches the floor, touches the net while the ball is live or commits another fault.

Padel scoring explained

The basic score follows tennis:

A set is normally won by the first pair to reach six games with a two-game lead. At 6-6, a tie-break is usually played. The first pair to seven tie-break points wins, provided it leads by two. A standard match is best of three sets, so the first pair to win two sets wins the match.

What happens at 40-40 in 2026?

The 2026 FIP rulebook lists three approved scoring options. This does not mean every club automatically uses the newest one:

• Advantage: after deuce, a pair must win two consecutive points.
• Golden Point: one deciding point is played immediately at deuce. The receiving pair chooses the return side.
• Star Point: play can continue through deuce and advantage cycles; after the third deuce, a deciding Star Point is played.

Ask “advantage, golden point or Star Point?” before the warm-up ends. That ten-second check prevents confusion at the most important moment of a game.

How to serve in padel

Every point begins with an underhand serve. The first point of a game starts from the right-hand side and is served diagonally into the opponent’s right service box from the server’s perspective. The server then alternates between right and left after every point.

For a legal serve:

1. Stand behind the service line inside the correct serving area.
2. Bounce the ball on the floor in your own service area.
3. Hit it at or below waist height.
4. Keep at least one foot in contact with the ground when you strike the ball.
5. Send it diagonally into the opposite service box.

You have two attempts. If the first serve is a fault, you may play a second serve. If both attempts are faults, you lose the point.

Glass or fence after the serve?

If the served ball lands in the correct service box and then touches the glass, the serve is valid. If it touches the metal fence before its second bounce, it is a fault. When a legal-looking serve clips the net and still lands correctly without then hitting the fence, the serve is repeated as a let.

The receiver must let the serve bounce. Volleying the return of serve loses the point. Once that return has been played and the rally is live, volleys are allowed.

How the glass and fence work during a rally

This is the rule that makes padel feel unfamiliar at first. Use this sequence:

You do not have to wait for the glass. You may hit a groundstroke after the first bounce or volley the ball before it bounces, except when returning the serve. Letting the ball travel to the back glass can give you more time, but only when you can still reach it before the second bounce.

If the ball hits the opponents’ glass or fence directly without first bouncing in their court, your shot is out. If it bounces in their court and then touches the enclosure, the rally continues.

Want to become more confident with rebounds? Read The Unspoken Art of the Glass Shot after you have mastered these basic rules.

When do you lose the point?

The most common reasons are:

• The ball bounces twice on your side before you return it.
• Your shot goes into the net or does not reach the opponents’ court.
• Your shot hits the opponents’ wall or fence before their floor.
• The ball touches you, your partner or your clothing.
• You or your racket touch the net while the point is live.
• You hit the ball twice or carry it instead of making one clean stroke.
• You make two consecutive service faults.

A line counts as part of the court area it marks. When a close ball touches the line, treat it as in unless a referee decides otherwise.

Five beginner mistakes to avoid

1. Serving like a tennis player

Do not toss the ball overhead. Bounce it, stay behind the line and strike at or below waist height.

2. Volleying the return

The serve must bounce before the receiver hits it. This is different from later rally balls.

3. Running forward after every shot

Padel is a team positioning game. Move with your partner and avoid leaving a large gap through the middle.

4. Panicking when the ball reaches the glass

Turn with the rebound and create space. The glass often gives you time rather than taking it away.

5. Trying to win with power alone

Beginners improve faster by keeping the ball in play, aiming safely over the net and learning court position. Power becomes useful when control and timing are reliable.

Your first-match checklist

• Arrange four players and confirm the court time.
• Bring padel balls and a padel racket with its safety cord around your wrist; the cord is compulsory under the official rules.
• Agree on advantage, Golden Point or Star Point scoring.
• Decide the first server and receiving side.
• Warm up the serve, return, volleys and a few balls from the back glass.
• Call the score before each serve.
• When uncertain, replay the point by agreement and keep the match moving.

Choosing a first padel racket

Rules knowledge gets you started; a manageable racket helps you apply it. Many new players prefer a round shape and low balance because that combination provides a generous central hitting area and is easier to move during defence.

The Flow V1 - Purple 3K is Cobra Padel’s available control-focused option, combining a round shape, low balance and Medium EVA core. Compare it with the other shapes in our padel racket shape guide, or browse all Cobra Padel rackets when you know what your game needs.

Frequently asked questions

Can the ball hit the glass in padel?

Yes. During a rally, a ball that has bounced in the court may then touch the glass or fence and remain in play. A shot that hits the opponents’ enclosure before their floor is out.

Is the padel serve always underhand?

The ball must first bounce and be struck at or below waist height, with at least one foot on the ground. It is not an overhead tennis serve.

Can you volley in padel?

Yes, once the rally is live. The exception is the return of serve, which must bounce before it is hit.

Do you get a second serve?

Yes. A fault on the first attempt leaves one second serve. A second consecutive fault loses the point.

Is the Golden Point always used?

No. Advantage, Golden Point and Star Point are approved formats in the 2026 FIP rules. The competition or club determines which format applies.

Is the wrist strap compulsory?

Yes. The official rules require the racket’s non-elastic safety cord to be worn around the wrist.