Learn to Play Padel

Padel is a doubles racket game that combines elements of tennis and squash. It is played on an enclosed court with glass walls, and the ball can stay in play after bouncing off a wall. This is what makes padel dynamic, social, and friendly for beginners.

Learn Padel

Learning materials

Choose a route: quick start, rules, technique or steady progress.

Start

• What is padel?
• Your first padel game
• Is padel hard to learn?
• How many players do you need?
• What to wear for padel
• How long does a game last?

Rules

• Padel rules
• How scoring works
• Padel serve
• How to play off the walls

Technique

• Basic padel shots
• Court positioning
• Attack and defense
• Common beginner mistakes

Progress

• Doubles strategy
• Partner communication
• How to improve faster
• First-month training plan
• Warm-up before padel
• Padel vs tennis

Why padel is easy to start

In padel, you do not need a powerful serve or perfect technique right away. Most beginners can enjoy the first match because the racket is shorter, the court is smaller, and rallies often last longer than in tennis.

Basic rules

Padel is usually played two against two. Scoring follows tennis: 15, 30, 40, game, set. The serve is underhand after the ball bounces on the ground. After a shot, the ball must first land on the opponent’s side, and only then can it rebound off the glass.

The key difference from tennis is the walls. After bouncing on the floor, the ball may touch the glass and remain in play. Once you stop fearing that moment, padel becomes much easier to understand.

What you need for the first game

To start, you need:

• sports clothing;
• comfortable shoes with good lateral support;
• a padel racket;
• padel balls;
• a court booking for 60-90 minutes.

If you are playing for the first time, do not buy a racket immediately. It is better to rent gear at the club and understand your playing style after a few games.

First technical skills

At the start, stability matters more than complex shots:

• keep the ball in play;
• return to the correct position;
• stay calm after the ball rebounds off the glass;
• do not hit every ball as hard as possible;
• communicate with your partner.

Common beginner mistakes

Beginners often try to play padel like tennis: hitting hard, standing far from the net, and avoiding the walls. In reality, padel rewards patience, positioning, and choosing the right moment to attack.

Next materials

• Padel rules in plain language.
• How wall play works.
• The first 5 shots to learn.
• What to bring to your first lesson.
• How to play with a partner without getting in each other’s way.