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Their drive flies out through the side opening, no bounce. Whose point?
A ball that leaves the enclosure before bouncing on your side is out. Bounce first, always.
Their hard cross-court shot passes the net and goes straight out of the court through the side opening without bouncing. Whose point?
A ball that leaves the enclosure before bouncing on your side is out. Bounce first, always.
Why
Everything on a padel court comes back to one test: did the ball bounce on the floor inside the opponents' court before it touched anything else? A shot that passes over the net and flies straight out through the side opening never bounced, so it is out and the point goes to the receiving pair. The same shot that bounces first and then exits through the opening is a winner. One bounce is the difference between a point lost and a point won.
What this means at your level
Beginner
Do not chase balls that are going out. Let them go and take the point.
Intermediate
Hard cross-court angles are the shots that most often fly out through the opening. Aim them a metre inside the line and let the glass do the rest.
Advanced
On courts with wide openings, a ball that would exit is sometimes a ball you can leave rather than block. Watch the trajectory before the racket goes to it.
Common questions
Their hard cross-court shot passes the net and goes straight out of the court through the side opening without bouncing. Whose point?
Yours: a ball that leaves the court before bouncing is out. A ball that leaves the enclosure before bouncing on your side is out. Bounce first, always. Everything on a padel court comes back to one test: did the ball bounce on the floor inside the opponents' court before it touched anything else? A shot that passes over the net and flies straight out through the side opening never bounced, so it is out and the point goes to the receiving pair. The same shot that bounces first and then exits through the opening is a winner. One bounce is the difference between a point lost and a point won.
Why not replay. The opening is a design flaw?
The openings are part of the court, and the rule about them is clear.
What should a beginner do here?
Do not chase balls that are going out. Let them go and take the point.
How does this change for an advanced player?
On courts with wide openings, a ball that would exit is sometimes a ball you can leave rather than block. Watch the trajectory before the racket goes to it.
What do the rules say?
A ball that goes out of the court through an opening before bouncing on the opponents' floor is out.
Puzzles like this one
Can 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.
beginnerThe 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.
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.