Rule 6: the serve
Every point starts with an underarm serve from behind the service line, bounced first and struck at or below the waist, diagonally into the receiver's box. If the first serve is not good, you get a second.
Clausola 1: Every point starts here
Every point begins with a serve.
Clausola 2: A second serve
If your first serve is not good, you are allowed a second one. Two faults in a row lose the point, which is covered in Rule 13.
Clausola 3: Behind the service line
At the start of the serve, stand with one foot behind the service line. In practice you serve from behind the service line on the half of the court you are serving from.
Clausola 4: Between centre and side wall
You serve from the area between the imaginary extension of the centre line and the side wall.
Clausola 5: Stay until it is served
Stay in that area until the ball has been served. So you do not walk or wander off while serving.
Clausola 6: Bounce it in your area
Before you hit the ball, bounce it on the ground inside the area you are serving from. So the bounce happens behind your service line and on your own half of the centre line, never in front of the line.
Clausola 7: Keep it behind the lines
The ball must not cross the service line or the imaginary extension of the centre line before you strike it.
Clausola 8: Feet off the service line
Until you have hit the ball, your feet must not touch the service line.
Clausola 9: Feet off the centre extension
Until you have hit the ball, your feet must not touch the imaginary extension of the centre line.
Clausola 10: Out of your own service box
Until you have hit the ball, your feet must not touch the service box on your own side of the net.
Clausola 11: At or below the waist
At the moment you hit the ball, it must be at or below your waist. This is why the padel serve is played underarm or at most side-on.
Clausola 12: One foot on the ground
At the moment you hit the ball, at least one of your feet must be touching the ground. So jumping serves are not allowed.
Clausola 13: Diagonally into the box
The serve must cross the net diagonally and bounce in the receiver's service box, the one diagonally across from you. It has to land within the lines that mark that box. The lines of the box count as good, as Rule 7 makes clear.
Clausola 14: Right side first
The first serve of each game is made from the right-hand half of your court.
Clausola 15: Then alternate sides
After each point, you serve from the other half, so the serve goes into each of the receivers' boxes in turn.
Clausola 16: What counts as a serve
A serve has taken place as soon as you make contact with the ball, or as soon as you deliberately try to hit it. So a swing that misses still counts as a serve, and under Rule 7 it is a fault.
Clausola 17: Serving from the wrong side
If you serve from the wrong half of the court by mistake, correct it as soon as it is noticed.
Clausola 18: Points already played stand
All points played from the wrong side stand.
Clausola 19: A first-serve fault counts
A fault on the first serve made before the mistake was noticed still counts. If the mistake is spotted after a first-serve fault, you only have your second serve left.
Clausola 20: Choose the first server
Before each set, the players decide which of them serves first in that set.
Clausola 21: Order fixed for the set
Once the serving order is set, it cannot change until the next set begins.
Clausola 22: Wrong server: swap at once
If a player serves when it is not their turn, the player who should be serving takes over as soon as the mistake is discovered.
Clausola 23: Earlier points still count
All points won before the mistake was discovered are valid.
Clausola 24: Wrong server: one fault ignored
If the wrong server had served a single fault by the time the mistake was found, that fault does not count. The correct server starts with two serves.
Clausola 25: Wrong server: game already over
If the game finished before anyone noticed the mistake, the serving order stays as it now is until the end of the set.
Clausola 26: Wait for the receiver
The server must not serve until the receiver is ready.
Clausola 27: Receiver keeps the pace
In turn, the receiver must keep to the server's reasonable pace and be ready when the server is ready to serve.
Clausola 28: A return attempt means ready
A receiver who has tried to return the serve cannot then claim they were not ready.
Clausola 29: Not ready means no fault
If it can be shown that the receiver was not ready, the serve cannot be called a fault. Instead the serve is repeated, as Rule 9 explains.
Nelle partite vere
Domande
Do I have to bounce the ball before serving in padel?
Yes. You bounce it on the ground in the area you are serving from, behind the service line, and then hit it at or below your waist.
Can I jump when I serve?
No. At the moment you hit the ball, at least one foot has to be touching the ground.
What happens if we realise the wrong player has been serving?
The right player takes over as soon as you notice. Points already played stand, and a single fault by the wrong server is ignored. If the game is already over, keep the new order until the end of the set.