The rules of padel

MatchNight organises your nights and counts your scores. It doesn't write the laws of the game — nobody should take those from an app. Here is where they come from, and the handful that settle most of the arguments.

The official word

Playing elsewhere? Nearly every country has its own federation affiliated to the FIP, and the FIP site lists them. The rules of play are the same wherever you are.

The ones that come up

Plain English, and a summary rather than the law. Where this and the FIP rulebook disagree, the rulebook is right.

Can the ball hit the glass?

Yes — after it has bounced on your side. The ball must bounce on the floor first; then it may come off any wall or fence and you play it. What you may not do is let it hit the wall before the floor.

Can I hit it after it goes out?

Yes. Once the ball has bounced in your court you may follow it out through the gap and play it back, as long as it hasn't bounced twice. A legitimate and very satisfying way to win a point.

Can I put it into their glass?

Not directly. Your return has to bounce in their court first. If it comes off their wall after bouncing, it's in play and their problem.

What about the serve?

Underarm, below the waist, bounced once behind the service line, and hit diagonally into the service box. Two attempts, as in tennis. A serve that hits the side fencing after bouncing in the box is a fault.

Can I touch the net?

No. Touching the net, the posts or your opponents' side of the court while the ball is in play loses the point.

Does the ball have to be a padel ball?

For anything official, yes — they are slightly smaller and softer than tennis balls. For a Tuesday with friends, nobody is checking.

How the draw decides

On any night where partners change between rounds, the draw follows these rules in this order. A lower rule never gets its way by breaking a higher one.

1. 1. Equal games, equal rest

   Who sits out is decided person by person: whoever has played the most so far sits next. Nobody sits out twice until everyone has sat out once, so by the end of the night nobody has played more than one game more than anybody else. If the rounds divide evenly, everyone plays the same number of games.

2. 2. No repeat partners tonight

   You never get the same partner twice in a night. The only exception is a small group playing more rounds than there are partners to go round, and then the pairing used least goes first.

3. 3. Fresh partners across the season

   Among draws that pass rules 1 and 2, the one that repeats the fewest partnerships from earlier weeks is chosen.

4. 4. Spread your opponents

   Matches are set so you face as many different people as possible. Nobody meets the same opponent a third time if any other draw avoids it, and a second time only when the numbers force it.

5. 5. Close matches

   Only then are ratings used: stronger players are paired with weaker ones so each court is as even as it can be.

Equal games depend on the numbers as well as the draw. Fourteen players on three courts means two sit out each round, so seven rounds gives everyone six games and one rest. Eight rounds would leave two people a game short, so the host sees that before choosing.