Padel Beginner's Guide: Basic Fundamentals and Rules

This guide brings together in a complete and structured way all the essential concepts that every beginner player needs to master from their very first match: safety, grip, equipment, ball protocol, serving and returning mechanics, pair tactical dynamics, net faults, wall rules, scoring system, and booking management.

1. Safety, Mandatory Equipment, and Grip

The racket cord (Safety Rule #1):

It is strictly mandatory to always have the cord or wristband adjusted to the wrist of the hand you play with. Switching the racket between hands is prohibited: Being in a small, enclosed space with a rigid carbon fiber object, letting go of the racket or switching it hands during play is forbidden because it can fly off and seriously injure your partner or opponents. If the cord is on your right hand, you play with your right hand.

The universal grip (Continental or "The Hammer"):

Hold the grip by the edge, exactly as if you were going to hammer a nail with the edge of the racket (or as if you were shaking hands with it). This is the base grip because it allows you to execute the forehand, backhand, volleys, and serve without needing to waste time turning the racket in your hand between shots.

One-handed shot vs. two-handed backhand:

As a general rule, men and most players will perform all shots with one hand. In the case of women (and also some men), it is very common and valid to execute a two-handed backhand to provide greater stability and control. To do this, the non-dominant hand is placed just above the main hand, using the free space available at the top of the handle.

Appropriate footwear:

Do not use generic running, walking, or gym shoes. The artificial grass on padel courts contains silica sand. Stepping on it with non-specific footwear causes constant slipping, falls, or joint injuries. Padel shoes (or tennis shoes with a herringbone/clay or padel-specific sole) are required to ensure the necessary grip.

2. Ball Management and Protocol

• Number of balls on court: You play with exactly 3 balls. In an enclosed space, no more are needed; accumulating extra balls on the court only creates a nuisance and a risk of stepping on them.
• Distribution among players: 2 balls are carried in the pockets of the player whose turn it is to serve. 1 ball is kept by their teammate to pass if necessary. The serving pair is the one that usually holds and manages the 3 balls for the game.
• Placement protocol on court: Balls are never left rolling loose in the middle of the court or abandoned in the corners. They should always be kept in pockets or, during breaks and pauses, gathered and placed close to the base of the net. Leaving balls in the middle shows a lack of protocol and padel etiquette.

3. The Serve, Returner's Position, and Net Transition

1. Starting position and mandatory bounce: Feet and bounce must be outside the service box. Stand behind the service line, on your corresponding side of the court. Your feet must always remain behind the line at the moment of striking. The ball must bounce on the ground before you hit it, and this bounce cannot occur within the service box area.
2. Impact below the waist: Strict anatomical reference. Bounce the ball and hit it at a maximum height equal to or below your waist/belly button.
3. Diagonal direction and service box: The serve must cross the net diagonally into the opponent's service box:
   • Good: If the ball bounces inside the opponent's box and then hits the side glass or the back glass.
   • Bad (fault): If the ball bounces in the opponent's box and touches the side metal grid before a second bounce.
4. Returner's position: The opposing player responsible for receiving the serve (the returner) must be positioned behind their service line until the ball is struck by the server.
5. Serve and move to the net: The serve in padel is an attacking shot, designed as the first step to gain the net. Immediately after hitting the ball, the server must move forward towards the net to position themselves in attack alongside their partner.

Serving order and scoring in the game:

The serving player keeps the serve for the entire full game. The first point of the game is always served from the right side to the opponent's left diagonal (0-0). On the next point, the serve is from the left side to the opponent's right diagonal, alternating sides successively after each point.

The scoring system (played exactly like tennis):

• Points in each game: Counted as 0, 15, 30, 40, and game. If it reaches 40-40 (deuce), you must win by a 2-point difference (Advantage and Game).
• Games make up a set: The pair that first reaches 6 games with a difference of 2 wins the set. If they tie at 6-6, a tie-break is played.
• The match: Played best of 3 sets (the pair that gets 2 sets wins).

4. Pair Dynamics, Positioning, and Net Faults

Covering and managing the center: The central strip of the court is the most critical area. As a standard rule, balls coming down the middle are more easily taken by the player whose dominant hand (forehand/drive) is oriented towards the center of the court.

Continuous communication: Talking on the court is essential. You must clearly call doubtful or shared balls in the central zone ("mine", "yours", "I go").

Direct Net Faults and Body Touches

• Touching the net (absolute fault): The net cannot be touched under any circumstances with any part of your body, clothing, or racket. Touching the net results in an automatic loss of the point.
• Early invasion: You are not allowed to hit the ball if it has not yet crossed the net into your own side of the court.
• Body impact: If the ball in play touches a player's body or clothing, the point is immediately lost.

5. Using the Glass and Walls

The fundamental principle of playing with walls is summed up in a single rule: the ball must always touch the ground before any wall or grid.

                   OPPONENT'S SHOT
                         │
                         ▼
            Does it hit the ground on your side first?
               ├── NO ──► OUT (Point for you if direct)
               │
               └── YES ─► VALID BALL (IN PLAY)
                           ├── Hit it directly after the bounce
                           ├── Let it bounce off your glass
                           └── Hit it against your glass (boast)
                    

Opponent's walls: When sending the ball to the opponent's court, the shot must touch the ground before hitting the opponent's back glass, side glass, or metal grid. If it directly hits any opposing structure without bouncing first, the ball is out.

Using your own walls and the Boast (Contra-pared): Once the opponent's ball bounces on your ground, you can hit it before it reaches the wall or allow it to bounce off the glass. You are allowed to hit the ball forcefully directly against your own glass (contra-pared/boast) so that the rebound crosses the net and bounces in the opponent's court.

Doubts in tight plays (Sportsmanship Rule): In very fast plays where there are doubts about whether the ball touched the ground or the wall first, padel maintains a tradition of strict sportsmanship: when in doubt by both sides, the point is replayed without argument (let).

6. Booking and Match Management on Playtomic

• Download and register on the Playtomic app: It is the standard platform internationally for booking courts.
• Initial level questionnaire: Upon creating a user, the app runs a guided test. Beginners usually start between level 0 and 1.5; advanced players usually sit between 4.0 and 4.5+.
• Private court booking: You select the club, day, duration, and pay for the booking to go play a closed match among acquaintances.
• Open Matches: A feature designed to join games with free spots organized by other players, filtering by your skill level.