HOW TO PLAY PADEL: Rules and Useful Tips

You are wondering how to play padel?

You are new to this sport and you want to know all the rules, practical and technical advice, well know that you are in the right place!

The Padel Game

The game of padel (the Anglo-Saxons call it "paddle”) Is a sport that is played in pairs and is of tennis derivation. Similarly to the tennis, in padel each player, equipped with racket (best for beginners here), must hit the ball towards the opposite court to earn points.

Furthermore, the padel court is closed on all four sides, with the exception of the two side goals, and the ball is always in motion inside.

The padel has Mexican origins due to its inventor, Enrique Corcuera, who, wanting to build a tennis court in his house and having a smaller space than the size of a tennis court, conceived it in 1969 using the walls as an integral part of the playing field itself.

Corcuera also introduced a regulation ad hoc and called the game "padel".

Currently, the game is one of the most popular sports in Latin America and Spain, but also in Italy the sport is widespread and is managed by the FIT, Italian Tennis Federation, which promotes and organizes tennis in Italy and all related sports.

Now all you have to do is tie your shoes and try to play!

How to Play Padel

The padel differs from tennis mainly for two reasons: because of the smaller field and of ball (here you will find a selection of the best) in constant motion, which is why many players throw in the towel after a few workouts.

General rules

The number of players in the game of padel per game, it is four: two per team, which can also be mixed, one pair serves and the other receives. It is the draw that decides which of the two teams starts with the serve and which court to choose. However, there is also a 1v1 variant.

Official matches are played with three balls on the field, which must be new and comply with the regulations of the Italian Tennis Federation.

There padel racket it must be up to standard and it is mandatory that it has a lace in the bottom of the handle, to prevent the shovel from slipping while playing.

Rules During The Game

The scoring system in the padel game it is similar to tennis; the games follow the score of 15, 30, 40 and every three finished games the field is changed.

There ball it can be hit by a player anywhere on the pitch, the important thing is that the player hits the ball, with or without a previous bounce, at most once for answer. Also, in order for the ball to be considered good, it must touch the ground before hitting the walls and / or the fence.

Should the ball ever leave the field, you can retrieve it by going out of the two side doors and you will earn a point if you hit it without having touched the ground more than once.

If, after the rebound, the ball touches one of the walls or the fence and returns to the opponent's court, the point is considered good for the team of the player who made that stroke.

You make a just do it, when a player hits the body or clothes of the opponent with the ball, or if he touches the net with the racket. If so, the point is in favor of the opponent. For more details on the padel score, read our article.

The joke

The serve in padel is slightly different from that in tennis, since, before sending the ball to the opponent's court, it must bounce on the ground and hit it as soon as it reaches the height of the player's side. In tennis, on the other hand, the serve is performed by throwing the ball in the air hitting it on the fly.

The ball must bounce to the opposite court, or it can touch one of the walls of the opponent's court and jump onto that court a maximum of once before being sent back to the home court. The player who takes the serve must be diagonally opposite the opponent's batting area, as in tennis, and must take place from the "service line". To know how to make a good joke at padel, you can read our article.

Technical Advice

Before playing padel it is necessary to have:

• A good racket,
• a good couple of padel shoes specific for the surface of the field in which you play and which are cushioned,
• a Comfortable clothes, which allows you to move easily and not sweat too much.

In the market there are infinite models of padel rackets, from models for beginners to those for epicondylitis; can be found rackets from € 50-60 - you can find some in this article - up to the most top versions, which can also cost € 300.

It is important to choose a padel shovel based on your level of experience in this sport, your needs and your sweating of your hands.

In addition to the racket, it is important to choose a suitable pair of shoes with the right degree of cushioning, to absorb landings, jumps and protect the ligaments. If you are looking for the best padel rackets, you can find them here.

General Councils

Before attending matches it is essential to do a little bit of work out, which does not necessarily have to be done in pairs; you can train and you can learn to play padel even alone or with an instructor. In fact, training alone helps to develop good movement, to understand how to hit the ball and how to make arm changes.

After learning how to take your first steps on the field, you can participate in some tournaments with a teammate, with whom you could develop a lasting relationship and participate in bigger and bigger events.

Also, it is very important to have patience; if you do not succeed in the right moves right away, have patience. After some practice, you will see that you will be able to play like a pro!

Finally, it is important to practice the padel game in one structure a rule of law, to enjoy the games and avoid injuries. The playing field must have the following dimensions:

• 20 meters in length (+/- 0.10),
• 10 meters in width (+/- 0.05),
• overall, at least 6 meters coverage.

The net must be positioned in the middle of the court, approximately 6.95m from the service line, and must be at least:

• 92cm at the ends of the field (+/- 0.5cm),
• 88cm in the center of the field (+/- 0.5cm).

Conclusions

Now you know how to play padel, you just have to buy a good racket and get started!

I am sure that, after the first few strokes, you will begin to fall in love with this sport and you will never want to stop

I hope this article has aroused in you curiosity and the desire to try your hand at this new adventure.

Share it with your friends and get them to jump in too, I am sure that with them as accomplices this sport will become your new great passion.