Padel for Absolute Beginners

If you’ve ever watched a padel match and thought “that looks fun… but how does it even work?”—you’re not alone. Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world right now, and the best part? You can pick up the basics in a single session and start having a blast immediately.

Padel is played almost always as doubles on a court that’s about a third smaller than a tennis court: 20m long by 10m wide. The big difference? It’s completely enclosed by glass walls. Those walls are your new best friends—they keep the ball in play longer and open up all kinds of clever angles.

The absolute basics you need to know

•  Serving: Underhand only. Bounce the ball once behind the service line, hit it below waist height, and send it diagonally into the opposite box. You get two attempts, just like tennis.

•  Rally rules: The ball must bounce once on the ground before you hit it (or after it hits the wall on your side). You can let it rebound off the back or side walls—super useful!

•  Scoring: Exactly the same as tennis: 15, 30, 40, game. First to six games wins the set (must win by two), and most matches are best of three sets.

Pro tip for your very first session

Focus on keeping the ball in play rather than smashing it. The walls will do half the work for you. Grab a friend, book a court, and just rally for 10 minutes—you’ll be laughing and high-fiving before you know it.

What to bring

Comfortable trainers with good grip, sporty clothes, and a water bottle. Rackets and balls are usually provided at clubs.

Ready to give it a go? Your first padel session might just become your new favourite way to spend an hour.