PADEL RULES
Padel vs Tennis — Key Rule Differences Explained
6 min read
Padel and tennis look similar at first glance — same scoring, same net, similar rackets. But the rules diverge significantly once you step onto the court. This article walks through every major rule difference so you know exactly what changes when you pick up a padel racket.
The Court
The most obvious difference is the court itself. A padel court is enclosed by glass walls and metal mesh on all sides, whereas a tennis court has no walls at all.
| Padel | Tennis | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 20 m × 10 m | 23.77 m × 8.23 m (singles) |
| Enclosure | Glass walls + metal mesh | No walls |
| Surface | Artificial grass (usually) | Hard, clay, or grass |
| Format | Always doubles (4 players) | Singles or doubles |
Padel courts are smaller, and the enclosed walls are an active part of play — not an obstacle.
Using the Walls
In padel, the ball can bounce off any wall after it has bounced once on the floor, and this is a legal continuation of play. Players regularly use the back glass and side walls to retrieve balls or set up attacking shots.
In tennis, hitting the ball into a fence or surrounding wall ends the point immediately.
2026 rule change: The FIP 2026 revision clarified that a ball striking the top edge of the glass wall (the frame) is out, not in play, even if the ball then lands in the court. Previously this edge case was handled inconsistently across tournaments.
The Serve
Both sports serve diagonally into the opposite service box, but the mechanics are very different.
Tennis serve:
- Tossed into the air and struck above the body
- Can be hit with significant pace and spin
- Flat, slice, kick, and twist variations are common
- Two attempts before a double fault
Padel serve:
- The ball must be dropped and bounced off the floor, then struck at or below waist height (hip level)
- No overarm serves allowed
- Served into the diagonal service box, as in tennis
- Two attempts before a double fault
The waist-height restriction means serves in padel are far less dominant than in tennis. Aces exist but are rare; the serve is mostly a starting mechanism rather than a weapon.
Bouncing Rules
In both sports the ball must bounce before a player hits a groundstroke, but in padel there is an extra dimension: the wall bounce.
- Tennis: One bounce on the floor allowed before you must return the ball. If it bounces twice, the point is lost.
- Padel: One bounce on the floor allowed. After that bounce, if the ball hits a wall, the player can still hit it — and the ball can even exit through an open door in the fence, in which case the player may go out of the court to retrieve it.
This “out-of-court play” rule has no equivalent in tennis.
Out-of-Court Play
Padel courts often have small openings (doors) in the side and back fencing. Under FIP rules, once the ball has bounced in the correct court, a player may exit through these openings to play a shot from outside the court. The ball must re-enter the court (over the net, or through an opening) to be valid.
Tennis has no equivalent rule.
Scoring
Both sports use the same points-based scoring: 15, 30, 40, game — with deuce when both sides reach 40. Sets are first to six games (with a tie-break at 6-6). Matches are typically best of three sets.
The key difference is what happens at deuce. The FIP 2026 rulebook introduced the Star Point as the default format for professional padel:
- At the third consecutive deuce in a game, a single deciding point (the Star Point) is played
- The receiving pair chooses which side to receive on
- This is different from tennis, which normally uses advantage scoring (play until one player/pair wins two consecutive points from deuce)
For a full breakdown of padel’s deuce options, see Star Point Rule and Scoring System.
Net Height
The net dimensions are similar but not identical:
| Padel | Tennis | |
|---|---|---|
| Net height at centre | 88 cm | 91.4 cm |
| Net height at posts | 92 cm | 107 cm |
Padel’s net is slightly lower at the posts, making the court feel more uniform.
Let (Serve Touching the Net)
In both sports, if a serve clips the net and lands in the correct service box, a let is called and the serve is retaken. This rule is identical.
Doubles Only
Padel is exclusively a doubles sport at the competitive level. The court dimensions, walls, and tactical elements are all designed for four players. Tennis can be played singles or doubles.
Summary: Key Rule Differences
| Rule | Padel | Tennis |
|---|---|---|
| Walls | Active part of play | Out of bounds |
| Serve | Underarm, below waist | Overarm, no height limit |
| Out-of-court play | Allowed after a wall bounce | Not allowed |
| Court size | 20 × 10 m (enclosed) | 23.77 × 8.23 m (open) |
| Format | Always doubles | Singles or doubles |
| Deuce format (2026 FIP) | Star Point after 3rd deuce | Advantage (default) |
| Net height (centre) | 88 cm | 91.4 cm |
Which Rules Are the Same?
Despite the differences, padel and tennis share:
- Identical points counting (15, 30, 40, game)
- Same set structure (first to 6, tie-break at 6-6)
- Diagonal serve into the opposite service box
- Two serves before a double fault
- The let rule on serve
- The ball must clear the net to be valid
If you already play tennis, the scoring and net-clearance rules will feel completely natural. The main adjustments are learning to use the walls and adapting to the underarm serve.
