In these last years, padel (or paddle) is becoming hugely popular, with new courts opening all around Italy and Europe. And Sporting Versilia, with its five courts near Cinquale airport, a few minutes from Forte dei Marmi, is actively contributing to spread this exciting sport.
Padel basics are quite easy to learn, and those already familiar with tennis may have a significant advantage. However, However, it may be useful to know something more about padel rules before you start to play.
Sporting Versilia: discover our padel courts
Padel Rules
Padel Court
Let’s start with the basics: the padel court. In a few words, the court is a 20 meters long, 10 meters wide rectangle cut in half by the net. To know more about it, you may read this article, regarding padel courts features and dimensions.
Padel racket
Padel racket is shorter than tennis rackets. Usually, it’s made on the outside with carbon, high-carbon, glass fibre, or other light but resistant materials. On the inside, it’s made with stretch materials such as EVA.
As for padel rackets’ measures, the handle has a max length of 20 cm, a max width of 50 mm, and a max thickness of 50 mm. The head has a variable length and a max thickness of 38 mm. The whole racket has a max length of 45,5 cm and a max width of 26 cm.
The central part of the racket may feature holes measuring between 9 and 13 mm. The racket must have a security string to be placed around the wrist, max 35 cm long. The racket’s surface must be the same on both sides, and it may be both rough or smooth.
Padel ball
Padel balls are similar to tennis balls, but with a few differences: for example, the inner pressure is lower, resulting in a softer and slower game pace.
According to official rules, the ball must be a yellow or white sphere with a uniform surface, with a diameter varying from 6,35 and 6,77 cm, while the weight may span from 56 to 59,4 grams. The inner pressure must range between 4,6 and 5,2 kg every 2,54 cm².
Players
A padel match features two players facing two players, such as in double tennis matches. Each team must stay in his half of the court.
Padel rules are similar to tennis, but not the same
Padel match
The serve
During a padel match, a team serves, while the other receives. The first serve is determined by lot.
When serving from the right, you must throw the ball on the left of the opposite field, and vice versa. Serve alternates between right and left.
The ball must be served while staying behind the baseline. The serve is valid only if it bounces in the opponent’s half, while after the first bounce it may hit the lateral wall (but not the fence).
Points
The goal of the game is to direct the ball in the opponents’ half and score a point. The ball must bounce in the opponents’ half of the court before hitting the opponents’ lateral or back wall. A player may however directly hit its own lateral wall (but not the fence).
A point is assigned when the ball bounces twice in the opponents’ half.
Walls are part of the game, so if the ball bounces on them, it still may be hit, and the game goes on.
Hitting the ball before it bounces on the ground is allowed, except when responding to a serve.
A point is given to the opponents when:
- The ball is hit before it passes the net
- A player hits the net with the racket or its own body
- The ball hits the opponents’ walls before bouncing on the ground
- The ball hits the lateral fences
- The ball hits the net without passing it, or if it bounces on a player’s own half
- The ball hits a player
- A player hits the ball more than once
- Both players hit the ball
Winning
Points are assigned in padel in the same way as in tennis. During a single game, when you first score, you get 15 points. The second point brings you to 30 points, and the third to 40 points. At the fourth point, you win the game, except if the score is 40-40. In that case, the game proceeds until one of the two teams scores two consecutive points. However, World Padel Tour recently ruled that at 40-40, whoever scores, wins the game (killing point).
The team that first wins six games, with two games of advantage, wins the set. If the score is 5-5 games, it’s necessary to win seven games. If the score is 6-6, a final game is played (tie-break), and whoever wins it, wins the set. The team that first wins three sets, wins the match.
Book your padel court
Now that you have learnt the basic padel rules, you’ll probably want to try to play. In case you were in Versilia, Tuscany, contact us now: our courts are at your disposal!
