Padel: The Doubles Delight!

While you can play padel solo, it's much more fun with a buddy! Almost all padel matches are doubles, so grab a friend and get ready for some teamwork.

Scoring: Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy!

The scoring system is a piece of cake if you’ve played tennis before. It goes 15-0, 15-15, 30-15, and so on. But here’s a twist—at Deuce, there’s a golden point! No faffing about with advantages; win that point and you’ve got the game.

Serve It Up!

• Serve underarm, below waist height.

• Let the ball bounce once, and keep one foot on the ground.

• Start from the right side and serve diagonally.

• A serve that hits the glass wall is good. Hit the metal fence? Oops, that’s a fault!

• Net serve that bounces and hits the glass? Try again. But if it hits the fence, it’s a fault.

Gameplay Fun!

• Let the ball bounce before you return a serve.

• You can play the ball off the glass walls on your side—very dramatic!

• But no playing off the metal fencing on your side; that’s a no-no.

• If the ball bounces twice on your side, the other team gets the point.

• If the ball hits you or your partner, the other team scores.

Extra Tidbits!

• Any volley (except when returning serve) is fair game.

• Net posts, light fixtures, or anything funky in the air is off-limits before the ball bounces on your opponent’s side.

So, put on your sporty shoes and grab your paddle—time to hit the padel courts and have a blast! For the nitty-gritty details, check out the LTA's PDF guide [4].

The Court

Picture this: a padel court is like a pint-sized version of a tennis court, just 20 meters long and 10 meters wide—think cozy, but action-packed! The sides are fenced, and the back is wrapped in toughened glass, so when you smack that ball, it keeps bouncing around, keeping the rally alive and kicking! The compact size means the game is fast, furious, and fun for everyone, no matter if you're a newbie or a seasoned pro.

The Racket & Ball

Now, let's talk gear! A padel racket is your best buddy, made from sleek carbon fiber or fiberglass, and guess what? No strings attached! This makes hitting those sweet shots a breeze, especially for beginners. The padel ball is a cute cousin of the tennis ball, a tad smaller and with less bounce, ensuring those rallies go on and on, giving you that ultimate thrill!

The Players

Padel is the perfect mix of tennis and squash, where tactics rule the court. It’s mostly a doubles game, making it a social extravaganza! You don’t need to be a muscleman to play; it’s all about the smarts and strategy. Whether you're just starting out or you're a padel aficionado, this game is addictive and guaranteed to make you smile every time you play.

So grab a friend, pick up a racket, and get ready to have a blast on the padel court!