Padel Serve Rules Explained Simply

Four things must be right on every serve:

• Bounce the ball first: Drop the ball behind the service line and hit it after the bounce.
• Contact below the waist: The hitting point must be at waist height or lower – an overhead tennis serve is not allowed.
• Serve diagonally: The ball must bounce in the service box diagonally opposite.
• Feet behind the line: Until you hit the ball, at least one foot stays on the ground and neither touches the service line.

After bouncing in the correct box, the ball may touch the glass wall – the serve stands. If it bounces and then hits the wire fence, the serve is a fault. If the ball clips the net and lands correctly, the serve is replayed (let), just like in tennis. Two faults in a row lose the point – you get two attempts.

In practice, serves fail for the same few reasons:

• The ball is struck above waist height – especially common for players coming from tennis.
• A foot is on or over the line at contact.
• The serve is hit too hard and bounces into the fence.
• The ball is hit out of the air instead of after the bounce.

Tip: a safe, well-placed serve towards the glass wall beats a hard one in padel almost every time – it forces an awkward return close to the wall.

Spend ten minutes per session on serves only: five at the T, five towards the side wall, both sides. Focus on an identical routine rather than pace – drop, step, contact below the waist. Want to test it under real pressure? Find beginner-friendly tournaments in our tournament calendar.