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You think their serve might have been long. Nobody is sure.
No referee and not sure? The ball was good. Every level of padel plays it that way.
Their serve lands close to the back of the box and you genuinely cannot tell whether it was in. There is no referee. What do you do?
No referee and not sure? The ball was good. Every level of padel plays it that way.
Why
Club padel is self-refereed, and it works because of one convention: each pair calls its own side, and a ball you cannot honestly call out is good. Calling close balls in your own favour wins a point and costs you the room. If a pair keeps disagreeing about calls, the polite solution is to replay the point once and then get on with it, but the default, when you were watching and simply are not sure, is that it was in.
What this means at your level
Beginner
Say "good" out loud on close balls. It sets the tone and everybody plays better in a friendly match.
Intermediate
Watch the bounce, not the ball in the air. You can only call what you actually saw land.
Advanced
If a serve is landing close to the line every time, that is information about the server, not about the line. Adjust your position a step deeper.
Common questions
Their serve lands close to the back of the box and you genuinely cannot tell whether it was in. There is no referee. What do you do?
Play it as good. No referee and not sure? The ball was good. Every level of padel plays it that way. Club padel is self-refereed, and it works because of one convention: each pair calls its own side, and a ball you cannot honestly call out is good. Calling close balls in your own favour wins a point and costs you the room. If a pair keeps disagreeing about calls, the polite solution is to replay the point once and then get on with it, but the default, when you were watching and simply are not sure, is that it was in.
Why not ask them and replay if they disagree?
Replaying is for genuine interference, not for close calls. Asking is fine; the answer if unsure is still good.
What should a beginner do here?
Say "good" out loud on close balls. It sets the tone and everybody plays better in a friendly match.
How does this change for an advanced player?
If a serve is landing close to the line every time, that is information about the server, not about the line. Adjust your position a step deeper.
What do the rules say?
In a match without a referee, each pair is responsible for calling balls on its own side of the net. A ball that cannot be called out with certainty is considered good.
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.