Maybe you are making a mistake when serving in padel without knowing it. The rule of serving in padel is very precise. The French Tennis Federation also talks about it in its article 6 concerning the rules of the game.
6 RULE - THE SERVICE
– As in tennis, the server must serve in the diagonally opposite “square”. The ball must first bounce in the opponent's service box before it can be returned. It can then bounce several times on the walls or the fence.
– Once the ball is hit, it must not touch any part of its half of the field (ground, walls, etc.) before bouncing into the opposing party.
– To initiate the point, the two feet of the server must be behind the service line (“base” line, parallel to the net), and between the imaginary extension of the center line and the side window. The server must therefore never touch the service line or the central imaginary line with one of his feet.
At waist height or below the waist
- At the time of typing, the server must have at least one foot on the ground. - Service should be "spooning", at belt height, or below the belt, and after rebound; the rebound must be done in the server's half of the field and must be behind the end line (be careful, a service is announced if the server totally misses the ball by trying to hit it).
- After the first rebound in the opponent's service box, the ball must not touch the mesh part, otherwise the ball is counted foul. Two tries are possible, if both are wrong the point is for the opponent.
– If the ball hits the net and then crosses the net by falling into the right opposite service square, the ball is let and to be played again (unless the ball after a let service, bounces it into the right square then hits the grid, in which case the service will be considered false).
- If the receiver is not ready when the server hits its service, the point is to be replayed.
- The server remains the same during a game. The receiver as well as the two teammates can place themselves where they want in their respective camp.
- The team that serves the first game chooses which player will be the first server. At the next game, ditto for the opposing team. The order of the servers must remain the same until the end of the set. The order may change at each start of the set for each team.
– The receiver of the first point of the set, will return all the services played in this diagonal throughout this same set. The same goes for the second receiver in the other diagonal. This order can only be changed at the start of each set.
- If an error is made on the order of the servers, this error must be repaired as soon as it is discovered, and the good player must then resume the service, the acquired score remaining established. If, on the other hand, the error is discovered only after a game has been completed, the inversion of the servers will remain in place, and it is this new order that will be used until the end of the set (same principle if the error is discovered during a decisive game).
View and download the complete rules of the Padel
Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.
Current jobs in padel: opportunities starting in early 2026
Where to play padel in the Basque Country?
Mario Debrief: the show returns live this Thursday
When Tapia modified his racket to continue playing with a torn finger ligament
Momo González: “I want to earn my place for the World Cup”
Johan Bergeron: Reigniting the momentum with clarity
Alejandra Salazar: “I want to enjoy myself, smile, and help Ale Alonso give her best.”
Technical Viper 3.0: radical for some, happiness for others
Following a successful 2025 edition, the FIP Silver Narbonne returns in June 2026 with high ambitions.
FIP Tour – Heading to Dubai and Agadir for the French delegation
Reunion Padel Club makes a strong statement with a P1000 by PNEUS CASH at €10,000 and a top-level field.
Nerone gives credit to the new Lebrón: “the attitude he showed against Tapia and Coello is very good”
Addicted to padel, Vinicius Junior is building his own court at home.
How much did the winners of Riyadh P1 earn?
There's already movement in the first FIP chart of the year
Opening a padel club: how much does it cost?
In Liverpool, padel is taking over the seafront and changing the sporting landscape.
Box To Box Agency: From athlete support to the creation of a large-scale padel club
Tamara Icardo joins Starvie and strengthens the brand's return to the highest level.
Yanguas: immense qualities serving a still fragile mentality
Ale Galán: a wounded hand, but that doesn't stop him!
Barcelona, the European capital of padel: focusing on expertise with OSS Barcelona
Noise pollution from padel courts: what does the law say?
Air padel: why pros keep repeating "into thin air" (and how to use it without it becoming a gimmick)
The vibra broken down: transfer, striking plan and sensations
And Ducati created the fastest pala in the world!
A padel pedagogy centered on gestures
Right-wing players: the clash of generational approaches
When padel becomes synchronized: why we sometimes fall into the opponent's rhythm
Why the off-center lob is an opportunity to exploit even if…
Left-handers on the circuit: an increasingly aggressive trend among men
Mixed P250 tournaments without ranking limitations: a step forward or a risk to sporting balance?
Star Point: the new rule that's already shaking up the circuit, Di Nenno gives his opinion
P50 tournaments will officially begin on March 1st
Preventing injuries in padel: methods that allow you to play longer
Warm-up, stretching, cool-down: the keys to longevity
February holidays: tennis and padel camps at the Les Pyramides club
Assess your true padel level: Next Point offers a free online test
Where can I find a padel training course to take my game to the next level?
Hello,
From what I understand, the rebound on the ground before the server's strike must be in the server's half of the court and necessarily behind the baseline. Likewise at the time of the shot, the server's feet must be in the server's half of the court and necessarily behind the baseline. But what about typing? Let me explain: the server bounces his ball on the ground with a lateral which means that when the racket touches the ball, it is in the other half of the court (or in front of the baseline). The rebound on the ground was in the good part and the feet are also well positioned, only the shot is outside this area.
Thank you
Hello,
From what I understand, the rebound on the ground before the server's strike must be in the server's half of the court and necessarily behind the baseline. Likewise at the time of the shot, the server's feet must be in the server's half of the court and necessarily behind the baseline. But what about typing? Let me explain: the server bounces his ball on the ground with a lateral which means that when the racket touches the ball, it is in the other half of the court (or in front of the baseline). The rebound on the ground was in the good part and the feet are also well positioned, only the shot is outside this area.
Thank you
Hello, dsl, didn’t understand the message :)
Hello, I am often told that my serve is wrong because I bounce the ball higher than my belt. So indeed the ball is higher than my belt when I hit it since I bend my legs when hitting but I don't think it's wrong because the ball doesn't bounce higher than my belt if I stayed legs stretched out instead of bent. Can you tell me what it is? Also I find this rule unfair for people like me (small) it is certain that someone like John Isner will have a much better service the rule should have to do with the height of the net and not with the size of the player. In advance, thank you for your answer
Hello Valerie, if you take the ball above the waist, the ball is supposed to be a foul 🙂
After yes, there may be a form of injustice. Very soon, we are going to do a paper on this theme precisely through the intervention of Ben Tison. See you soon.
Hello
Is there a right to walk before hitting the ball in the service?
Thank you
hello, serving, if I serve that my ball passes the net without touching it and bounced twice in the receiver's square !! there is no point for whom? or fault?
Good evening, Here is a small article that may interest you 😉
https://padelmagazine.fr/amortir-au-service-cest-possible/
hello, if I understood correctly. We have the right to make a depreciation on the service and that the ball bounces twice in the opposing square the server wins the point! thank you
Absolutely! 🙂
If I understood correctly, in service if the ball hits the ground twice (or more) but then hits the fence then it is considered a fault? This also applies when the ball hits the net?
Hello, no if the ball hits the ground twice before hitting the grid, it's good. On the other hand, if there is a rebound and then the fence the ball is fault 🙂 Same for the net obviously.