Padel words · Beginner

The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.

B · Beginner · 44 words · Step 1 of 2

Court and equipment terms

Court

A rectangle 10 m wide by 20 m long (inside, with a 0.5 per cent tolerance), divided by the net, and completely enclosed by walls and metal fence. Service lines are 6.95 m from the net on each side, and the two halves must be exactly symmetrical. The minimum free height is 6 m.

Glass walls

The solid parts of the enclosure, which may be glass, brick or another material but must be hard and smooth with a uniform bounce. The ends are 4 m high in total, 3 m of wall and 1 m of metal fence; the sides have two permitted layouts.

Also called: walls
See also: Metal fence

Net

10 m long, 0.88 m high at the centre and 0.92 m at the ends, hung from a metal cable between two posts of at most 1.05 m. It has a white strip on top, 5.0 to 6.3 cm wide, and the mesh must be too fine for the ball to pass through.

Paddle

The racket, a solid head and handle with no strings and a hitting surface of cylindrical holes 9 to 13 mm across. It is at most 45.5 cm long with a handle of at most 20 cm, 26 cm wide and 38 mm thick, and a non-elastic cord of at most 35 cm must be worn around the wrist.

Also called: padel racket

Ball

A rubber sphere approved by FIP, white, yellow or another colour that contrasts with the court, 6.35 to 6.77 cm across and 56.0 to 59.4 g. A new ball bounces 135 to 145 cm when dropped from 2.54 m. Above 1000 m altitude a ball with a lower bounce, 121.92 to 135 cm, may be used.

Service box

The area on each side between the net and the service line, 6.95 m from the net, divided into two by the central service line. A serve must bounce inside the box diagonally opposite the server; the lines count as good.

Service line

The line on each side of the net, 6.95 m from it and parallel to it. All lines are 5 cm wide, preferably white or black.

Padel racket cord

The non-elastic cord, at most 35 cm long, fixed to the handle and worn around the wrist. It is compulsory, and a player who breaks it or drops the racket during a point loses the point.

Also called: leash, wrist cord

Scoring terms

Point

Counted 15, 30, 40 and game. In golden point the server's score is called, starting from love. Both pairs on three points is deuce. In a tie-break the points are called zero, 1, 2, 3 and so on.

Also called: 15, 30, 40
See also: Deuce, Golden point, Tie-break, Server

Deuce

Called when both pairs have won three points. What follows depends on the scoring option: advantage points, a star point after deuce 3, or a single golden point.

See also: Golden point, Advantage, Star point

Game

Won by the first pair to the fourth point, which is called game, unless it is deuce. The rules give three ways to decide a game from deuce: advantage, star point or golden point.

See also: Deuce, Golden point, Advantage, Star point

Set

Won by the first pair to win 6 games with a margin of 2. At 5 games all two more games are played to win 7-5; at 6 games all a tie-break is played. If it is agreed beforehand, the third set may be played without a tie-break, so a pair must lead by two games.

Match

Best of three sets: two sets win it. The rules also give alternatives that replace the last set with a tie-break to 7 or a super tie-break to 10, and a four-game mini set.

See also: Tie-break, Super tie-break, Mini set

Golden point

The third scoring option. At deuce one deciding point is played. The receiving pair chooses whether to receive on the right or the left and cannot swap positions, and the pair that wins the point wins the game. In mixed matches the receiver is the same sex as the server.

Advantage

The first scoring option. After deuce, the pair that wins the next point has the advantage; if it wins the next point as well it wins the game, and if it loses the score returns to deuce.

Star point

The second scoring option. After deuce 1 and advantage 1, then deuce 2 and advantage 2, the score reaches deuce 3 and one deciding point, the star point, is played. The receiving pair picks the side and cannot swap positions, and the pair that wins it wins the game.

Tie-break

Played at 6 games all. The first pair to 7 points with a margin of 2 wins the tie-break and the set. The first server has one serve from the right, then the opponents serve two points from the left, and so on in pairs. Players change ends after every 6 points, and the next set starts with the player who did not serve first in the tie-break.

Serving terms

Serve

Starts every point, and a server has two attempts. At the start the server has one foot behind the service line, between the imaginary extension of the central service line and the side wall, and bounces the ball on the ground inside that box. It must be struck at or below waist height with at least one foot on the ground, and travel diagonally over the net into the receiver's box.

Server

The player putting the ball in play. Each pair chooses before a set which player serves first, and that order cannot change until the next set. Serves are made from the right and left alternately, into the receiver's box diagonally opposite.

Also called: receiver
See also: Receiver, Ball in play

Fault

A serve is a fault if the server breaks the serving rules (positions, bounce, waist height, feet), misses the ball, lands it outside the service box (the lines count as good), hits the server, partner or anything they wear or carry, or lands in the box and then touches the metal fence before a second bounce. A second consecutive fault loses the point.

See also: Service box, Metal fence, Server

Let

A serve that is repeated, not a fault. It is a net serve if the ball touches the net or posts and then lands in the correct box without touching the fence, and it is repeated if the receiver was not ready. If the let is on a first serve the whole point is replayed with two serves; on a second serve only the second serve is repeated.

Receiver

The player diagonally opposite the server. The receiver waits for the serve to bounce in their box and hits it before a second bounce. The receiving order is chosen in the first game of a set and cannot change until the next set.

Double fault

Two consecutive serve faults, which lose the point. If the first serve is a fault the server has a second serve.

Match and rule terms

Toss and choice of sides

A coin toss. The winning pair chooses between serving or receiving first (the other pair then chooses sides), choosing the side for the first game (the other pair then chooses to serve or receive), or asking the opponents to choose first.

Change of sides

Pairs change sides after the first game of a set, the third and every odd game after it, and in a tie-break after every 6 points. An error is corrected as soon as it is found and points won stand.

Ball in play

The ball is in play from a valid serve until a let is called or the point is decided. The pairs hit it alternately, and it stays in play when it hits the inside of the walls, the metal fence, the ground, the net or the net posts after bouncing on the opponent's side.

Walkover

A match lost by the pair that is not on court and ready 10 minutes after the official start time, unless the umpire considers it force majeure.

Also called: WO
See also: Umpire

Time and conduct

Time between points

A maximum of 20 seconds between points, 90 seconds for a change of sides (with no rest after the first game of a set or during a tie-break), 120 seconds at the end of a set and 20 seconds for changes of side in a tie-break. The time runs from the end of one point to the serve of the next.

Courtesy rally

The compulsory 3-minute warm-up between the players before the match.

Shot types

Groundstroke

A forehand or backhand hit after the ball has bounced on your side. The rules do not use the name.

Volley

Hitting the ball before it bounces. The rules allow a ball hit by one pair to be volleyed by the opposing pair.

Bandeja

A controlled overhead, hit with slice from mid-court, usually to the side fence at about head height, to keep the net position without committing to a smash. The rules do not use the name.

Vibora

A more aggressive overhead than a bandeja, hit with sidespin. The rules do not use the name.

Also called: viper
See also: Bandeja, Smash

Smash

A hard overhead hit to end the point. Players are cautious with it because a ball that hits the wall after bouncing can come back into play for the opponent. The rules do not use the name.

Also called: remate

Chiquita

A low, soft ball hit at the feet of a player at the net so they have to lift it. The rules do not use the name.

Also called: chiqui

Lob

A high ball hit over the opponents at the net to push them back or reset the point. The rules do not use the name.

Wall shot

A ball hit after it has bounced on your side and rebounded off a wall or the fence, before a second bounce. The rules say a ball that has bounced on the opponent's side stays in play if it hits the walls, fence or net and can be returned before a second bounce.

Also called: off-the-back-wall
See also: Glass walls

Movement and strategy terms

Rally

The exchange of shots in a point. The ball is hit alternately by each pair, and is in play from a valid serve until a let is called or the point is decided.

Net position

Standing close to the net, the attacking position, where a pair can volley and smash. The rules say nothing about tactics, but they forbid touching the net, posts or cable, or the opponent's court, while the ball is in play.

Doubles

Two pairs, two against two. The Rules of Padel are written for pairs and say nothing about singles.

Positioning

How the pair splits the court between partners. The rules only fix the receiver and server positions at serve: the receiving player and their partner and the server's partner may stand anywhere on their own side.

Also called: court coverage
See also: Server, Receiver

Outcomes and officiating

Winner

A shot the opponent cannot return, ending the point. The rules do not use the name.

Unforced error

A mistake made under little pressure from the opponent. The rules do not use the name.

Umpire

The match official. The rules refer to the tournament umpire, chair umpire and referee, who award walkovers, decide lets and interference, give penalties and may allow time for injury.