The Rules of Serving in Padel: Everything You Need to Know

A good serve is crucial in padel. After all, it's the start of each point and can give your team an advantage. But what exactly are the rules of serving in padel? In this blog post, we discuss everything you need to know about the serve in padel, so you can hit the court with confidence.

1. Position and footwork

The serving player stands behind the service line, with both feet behind the line. The feet must be parallel to the net. You may not jump during the serve.

2. The toss and strike

The ball may not be hit higher than the waist. The strike must be performed underhand. The ball must bounce once in the opponent's service box, diagonally opposite the serving player.

3. The service box

The service box is 7 meters long and 5 meters wide. It is bounded by the service line, the net, the sidewall, and the imaginary extension of the net posts. The ball may not hit the net, but it may hit the walls after the bounce.

4. Errors in service

• There are several faults that can occur during the service:
• The ball is not hit into the correct service box.
• The ball hits the net.
• The ball does not bounce in the service box.
• The serving player crosses the service line.
• The service motion is not underhand.

5. Second service

Each player has two chances to serve the ball into the service box. If the first service is a fault, the player may try a second time. If the second service also is a fault, then the point goes to the opponent.

6. Changing service

After each point, the players switch service sides. This continues until the end of the game.

Tips for a good serve

• Practice a consistent toss.
• Ensure a smooth striking motion.
• Focus on placement rather than power.
• Vary your serve to surprise the opponent.

Additional rules

• The first service in a game is always made from the right side.
• At a deuce in the game (e.g., 30-30) or an even number of points played in the game, the service is always made from the right side.
• At an advantage score (e.g., 0-15) or an odd number of points played in the game, the service is always made from the left side.
• If a "golden" point is played at 40-40 to decide the game, the receiving party decides from which side the server must serve.

We hope this explanation has clarified the rules of serving in padel. Practice the correct technique, and you'll be amazed at the benefits a good serve can bring.