How to Play Padel: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide
How to play padel? This is a straightforward guide to understanding how the game of Padel works. Its honestly such an easy sport to learn and play and can be especially fun amongst friends. Padel is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and once you’ve played it’s easy to see why. It combines the accessibility of tennis with the social, enclosed nature of squash and the similarity of pickleball, creating a game that’s easy to pick up, incredibly fun, and genuinely addictive from the first session.
If you’ve never picked up a padel racket before, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to get started.
The Ultimate beginners Guide begins here
What is Padel?
Padel is a racket sport played in doubles on an enclosed court roughly a third of the size of a tennis court. The court is surrounded by glass walls and metal mesh, and the ball can be played off these walls, much like squash, which is what makes padel so unique and tactically interesting.
It was invented in Mexico in 1969 by Enrique Corcuera and spread rapidly through Spain and Latin America before exploding in popularity across Europe in the last decade. The UK has seen a particularly sharp rise in padel courts and clubs since 2020, with thousands of new players picking up the sport every year.
The Padel Court
Understanding the court is the first step to understanding the game.
A standard padel court measures 20 metres long and 10 metres wide. It’s divided in half by a net, with each half containing a service box. The court is fully enclosed by glass walls at the back and sides, and metal mesh higher up.
The key thing that separates padel from tennis is that the walls are in play. If the ball bounces on your side and then hits the glass wall, you can still play it, and this is where much of padel’s tactical depth comes from.
The Basic Rules
Scoring: Padel uses the same scoring system as tennis, 15, 30, 40, game. Sets are first to six games but you have to win by two sets. Matches are typically best of three sets.
Serving: The serve is always underarm in padel. The server must bounce the ball and strike it at or below waist height, diagonally into the opposite service. You get two serve attempts.
The walls: After the ball bounces on your side of the court, it can hit the back or side glass walls and still be in play. You can also hit the ball into the walls on your opponent’s side after it has bounced.
Let: If the serve hits the net and lands in the correct service box, it’s a let and the serve is retaken.
Faults: The ball is out if it hits the wire mesh fence before bouncing, lands outside the service box on a serve, or bounces twice before being played.
How to Keep Score
If you’re new to tennis-style scoring, here’s a quick breakdown:
- Love = 0 points
- 15 = 1 point
- 30 = 2 points
- 40 = 3 points
- Deuce = both players at 40 — next point wins advantage, then the game
First to win six games wins the set. First to win two sets wins the match.
The Ultimate Guide for Basic Techniques for Beginners
The serve: Stand behind the service line, bounce the ball, and strike it underarm aiming diagonally into the opposite box.
The volley: Much of padel is played at the net. A volley is a shot played before the ball bounces. In padel, getting to the net and controlling play from there is the dominant strategy at all levels.
The bandeja: A defensive overhead shot used when you’re pushed back towards the glass. Rather than smashing, the bandeja keeps the ball low and buys your team time to recover position.
The bajada: Playing the ball off the back wall, one of padel’s most satisfying shots. Let the ball come off the glass and strike it back into play. This is a key skill to develop early.
The lob: Hitting the ball high over your opponents to push them back from the net. Used constantly in padel as an attacking and defensive tool.
What Equipment Do You Need?
Getting started in padel doesn’t require a huge investment. Here’s what you need:
Padel racket: A solid, round-shaped beginner racket is all you need to start. Round rackets are more forgiving and easier to control than diamond shapes. Check out our guide to the best padel rackets for beginners for specific recommendations.
Padel shoes: Purpose-built padel shoes with a herringbone sole grip the artificial grass surface far better than trainers. See our guide to the best padel shoes for men for options at every budget.
Padel balls: A tube of three is all you need. See our guide to the best padel balls for the top picks.
Tips for Your First Session
Play doubles: Padel is designed to be played as doubles (4 players). It’s faster, more social, and much more fun than singles, especially as a beginner.
Stay at the net: The team that controls the net usually controls the point. Get comfortable volleying early.
Use the walls: Don’t be afraid of the glass. Learning to read the ball off the back wall is what separates padel from every other racket sport.
Don’t smash everything: Power is far less important in padel than placement and positioning. A calm, well-placed shot beats a wild smash almost every time.
Book a beginner session: Most padel clubs in the UK offer introductory group sessions where a coach walks you through the basics. An hour with a coach at the start will save you weeks of bad habits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is padel easy to learn?
Yes, many people argue its easier than tennis and is widely regarded as one of the most beginner-friendly racket sports. Most people can rally comfortably within their first session.
Do I need experience in tennis to play padel?
No. While tennis experience helps with scoring and racket skills, padel is a different enough game that complete beginners often progress just as quickly as tennis players.
How long does a padel match last?
A casual social game typically lasts 60-90 minutes. Competitive matches can run longer depending on how close the sets are.
Can you play padel alone?
Not really, padel is a doubles sport. You need four players for a proper game, though you can practise shots alone against a wall.
How much does it cost to play padel in the UK?
Court hire typically costs £15-30 per hour depending on location and time of day, split between four players. Most clubs also offer membership options for regular players.
Ready to get started? Check out our guides to the best padel rackets for beginners, best padel shoes for men, and best padel balls to get fully equipped for your first session.