Find Padel Opens
01The objective
Win points exactly like tennis — make the ball bounce twice on the opponents' side or force an error. The twist: after the ball bounces, it can rebound off the glass and stay in play. Points are long, positioning beats power, and the lob is king.
No strings attached
The pala is a perforated foam-core bat, max 45.5 cm. Shorter swings, more control — that's why beginners rally fast.
The winning zone
The pair at the net wins most points. The whole game is a fight to take the net — and lobs are how you evict the other pair.
Always 2 v 2
Official padel is doubles, full stop. The court is sized for four; communication with your partner is half the sport.
02The court
03How the walls work
One sequence to memorise: ground first, then glass.
04Scoring — tennis, with a twist
- 15 · 30 · 40 · gameIdentical ladder to tennis (see the tennis scoring diagram). Sets to 6 games, tiebreak at 6–6, matches best of 3.
- Golden point at deuceMost opens skip advantage: at 40–40 one point decides the game, and the receiving pair picks who receives. Pure theatre.
- Lose the point if…The ball bounces twice on your side, you hit the net or your own glass first, the ball touches you or your partner, or you volley the serve.
05Serving
Bounce, then hit
Bounce the ball behind the service line, strike at or below waist height. Two attempts, like tennis.
Cross-court box
The serve must bounce in the diagonal service box before anything else.
Glass in, mesh out
Serve bounces in the box then hits the glass: valid. Hits the metal mesh: fault. Net-cord into the box: let, replay.
06Tournament formats
Americano
Partners rotate every round; you score individual points across short matches. The beginner-open default — you'll play with everyone.
Mexicano
Like Americano, but each round's pairings follow the standings — winners face winners, so every match stays close.
Knockout / box league
Fixed pairs, brackets or round-robin boxes, full tennis scoring with golden points. Check the listing's level tag before entering.
07Quick FAQ
Padel vs pickleball — what's the difference?
Padel: enclosed 20×10 m glass court, pressurised (slightly soft) tennis-like ball, walls in play, doubles only. Pickleball: open badminton-size court, plastic wiffle ball, no walls, singles or doubles. Both are easy to start; padel plays much more like tennis.
Can I really run outside the court to hit a ball?
Yes — if the ball bounces on your side and flies out through the opening, you may sprint out the side gate and hit it back around the wall. It's rare, legal, and the loudest cheer any amateur court ever hears.
Do I need special balls?
Padel balls look identical to tennis balls but carry slightly less pressure, giving a lower, slower bounce that keeps wall-play controllable. Tennis balls technically work for a casual hit but bounce too high off the glass.
Is padel expensive to start?
Courts rent by the hour split four ways, clubs lend rackets, and any sports shoes with lateral support work to begin. It's one of the cheapest racket sports to try — which is partly why it's exploding.
08What's new · latest regulations
The International Padel Federation published new rules effective 1 January 2026 — including a headline change to how tight games are decided.
The "Star Point"
At the third deuce (Deuce 3) a single deciding point ends the game. The receiving team picks which side receives it — no swapping positions.
Any ball colour
The ball no longer has to be white or yellow — any colour is legal as long as it contrasts with the court surface.
Golden point
Many amateur and pro events already play a golden point at 40-40 to keep matches on schedule — the Star Point formalises this idea.
