PADEL RULES
Timings
The FIP rules regulate the time allowed between points, at changeovers, between sets, and during suspensions. See changes of sides for the changeover schedule, medical timeout for injury time rules, and code of conduct for time-wasting penalties.
At Game Start
- Walk over: Teams must be on court and ready to play within 10 minutes of the official match start time. Failure to appear results in a walk over — the match is forfeited.
- Warm-up: 3 minutes of mandatory courtesy warm-up rally before play begins.
Time Between Points and Games
All times run from the moment a point ends until the next serve is struck.
| Situation | Time allowed |
|---|---|
| Between points | 20 seconds |
| Changeover (side change) | 90 seconds |
| Side change during tie-break | 20 seconds |
| Between sets | 120 seconds |
Violations (Time)
- First offense: Warning
- Second offense: Point penalty (if serving — loss of first serve; if not serving — loss of a point)
- Subsequent offenses: Loss of successive points; in cases of serious repetition the referee may impose additional penalties including game loss or disqualification
Suspensions and Delays
A match must be continuous from the first serve until it ends. Play may not be stopped for players to rest, receive instructions, or change clothing without authorisation.
If a player needs to replace clothing, shoes, or equipment, a reasonable amount of time will be allowed.
Suspension due to external conditions (rain, lights, etc.)
Upon resuming after a suspension, players may warm up as follows:
| Suspension duration | Warm-up allowed |
|---|---|
| Up to 5 minutes | None |
| 5 to 20 minutes | 1 minute |
| Over 20 minutes | 3 minutes |
The match resumes exactly where it was stopped — same score, same server, same court positions.
Lack of lights
If play is suspended due to a lighting failure, the match must stop at an even number of games in the set so that when play resumes, both teams are on the same ends as when play stopped.
Injury
A player is granted a 3-minute break for treatment. This may be repeated during the following two changeovers (within regulation changeover time) for the same condition. Medical attention is given once per player and cannot be transferred to a partner. See medical timeout for full details.
Accident (indirect consequence of the game)
If a player suffers an incident not directly caused by play — such as fainting or an allergic reaction — the tournament referee may grant up to 15 minutes for treatment at their discretion.
Unusual circumstances
If an unusual event occurs during play (e.g., a player falls involuntarily, a ball strikes a player), the referee may allow up to 5 minutes recovery time.