Browse all 15 articles in Basic Rules
15 articles in Basic Rules
A fault is an invalid serve — two faults lose the point. A let means the serve is replayed with no penalty. Covers every fault type and the let rule.
Mixed doubles padel follows the same general rules as standard doubles, with specific differences for the Golden Point deuce rule and service order by gender.
In courts equipped for it, a ball that exits through the open side sections can be chased and played back from outside the court. The returned ball must still cross the net and land in the opponent's court.
FIP updated the padel rulebook in January 2026: Star Point scoring, tighter serve rules on ball trajectory and foot position, new racket-drop penalty.
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about padel rules: scoring, serving, golden point, wall play, faults, sets, out-of-court play, court dimensions, and equipment.
Padel and pickleball are both fast-growing racket sports, but their rules, courts, and equipment are quite different. Here is a full comparison.
Padel and squash both use enclosed courts with walls, but their scoring, ball, serve, and gameplay rules are very different. Full rule comparison.
Padel and tennis share the same scoring but differ on court, walls, bouncing, serving, and out-of-court play. Here is a complete rule-by-rule comparison.
Players change ends after the first game of each set and then every two games. During a tie-break, sides are changed after every 6 points. Service order is maintained through all changeovers.
The padel scoring system follows tennis conventions: 15, 30, 40, and game. A set is won when a team wins 6 games with a minimum two-game difference.
Padel serve rules: underhand, below waist, bounced in the server's half. Full guide covering foot position, ball trajectory, service faults, and lets.
Teams decide who serves first by toss. Partners must maintain the same service order throughout a set. The order can be changed at the start of each new set.
The Star Point is padel's 2026 tiebreaker for a third consecutive deuce — one deciding point, with the receiving team choosing which side to receive.
In padel, all walls are in play. Hitting your own walls is valid as long as the ball lands in the opponent's court without bouncing twice.
Padel is a doubles racket sport played on an enclosed court with glass walls. Learn how it works, how it started, and why millions of people play it worldwide.
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PADEL RULES
