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The ball bounced then hit your own back glass. Still in play?
One bounce on the floor, then any number of walls. Only a second floor bounce ends the point.
Their shot bounces on your side of the court, then hits your own back glass and comes back out. What is the situation?
One bounce on the floor, then any number of walls. Only a second floor bounce ends the point.
Why
This is the rule that makes padel a different sport rather than small tennis. Once the ball has bounced once on your side, it can hit your back glass, your side glass, both of them, and it stays alive until it bounces on the floor a second time. That is why deep balls are not winners here, and why learning to use the back wall calmly is worth more than any amount of extra power.
What this means at your level
Beginner
When a deep ball is coming, your first instinct should be to move back and give the wall room to do its job, not to lunge at the ball before it bounces.
Intermediate
Learn to judge which balls will come off the glass and which will die in the corner. Depth and height at the bounce tell you almost everything.
Advanced
Use your own side wall on purpose. The contrapared reply, played off your own glass, opens angles that no direct shot from that position has.
Common questions
Their shot bounces on your side of the court, then hits your own back glass and comes back out. What is the situation?
In play: hit it back before it bounces a second time. One bounce on the floor, then any number of walls. Only a second floor bounce ends the point. This is the rule that makes padel a different sport rather than small tennis. Once the ball has bounced once on your side, it can hit your back glass, your side glass, both of them, and it stays alive until it bounces on the floor a second time. That is why deep balls are not winners here, and why learning to use the back wall calmly is worth more than any amount of extra power.
Why not in play, but only if it does not touch the side wall too?
It can touch both. A double wall is harder to play, not illegal.
What should a beginner do here?
When a deep ball is coming, your first instinct should be to move back and give the wall room to do its job, not to lunge at the ball before it bounces.
How does this change for an advanced player?
Use your own side wall on purpose. The contrapared reply, played off your own glass, opens angles that no direct shot from that position has.
What do the rules say?
After the ball bounces once on your side it may hit any of your walls and remain in play. What you may not do is hit your own wall before the ball has gone over the net.
Puzzles like this one
The ball is coming off the back glass. When do you hit it?
Move back with the ball, let it pass you, hit it in front of your body.
beginnerCan you volley the return of serve?
The return of serve must bounce. It is the one ball in padel you are not allowed to volley.
advancedThe smash sent the ball out through the side opening. Chase it?
If the court has an opening, you may leave through it and play the ball back, before it bounces a second time.