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Your partner pulls a muscle. Can you stop the match?
A short medical timeout for a genuine injury, requested through the referee. Not unlimited, and not for fatigue.
Mid-set your partner strains a calf and needs a few minutes. What do the rules allow in a tournament?
A short medical timeout for a genuine injury, requested through the referee. Not unlimited, and not for fatigue.
Why
Play in padel is continuous, but the rules allow a limited medical timeout for an injury sustained during the match, granted at the referee's discretion and usually a few minutes at most. It is not for tiredness or cramp from being unfit, and it can only be used a limited number of times. If the player cannot continue, the pair retires. In club padel nobody objects to a short break for a real injury, and nobody enjoys the pair that calls one at 4-5 every set.
What this means at your level
Beginner
If you feel a sharp pull, stop. Playing on a strained calf turns a week off into a month off.
Intermediate
Warm up before you play. Most padel muscle injuries happen in the first two games, on a cold body sprinting for a drop shot.
Advanced
Know the competition's medical rule before the tournament. The number of timeouts and their length vary, and it matters when you are the one who needs one.
Common questions
Mid-set your partner strains a calf and needs a few minutes. What do the rules allow in a tournament?
Yes: a limited medical timeout, at the referee's discretion. A short medical timeout for a genuine injury, requested through the referee. Not unlimited, and not for fatigue. Play in padel is continuous, but the rules allow a limited medical timeout for an injury sustained during the match, granted at the referee's discretion and usually a few minutes at most. It is not for tiredness or cramp from being unfit, and it can only be used a limited number of times. If the player cannot continue, the pair retires. In club padel nobody objects to a short break for a real injury, and nobody enjoys the pair that calls one at 4-5 every set.
Why not yes, as long as you need?
The break is limited. Play is continuous otherwise, and the match resumes or the pair retires.
What should a beginner do here?
If you feel a sharp pull, stop. Playing on a strained calf turns a week off into a month off.
How does this change for an advanced player?
Know the competition's medical rule before the tournament. The number of timeouts and their length vary, and it matters when you are the one who needs one.
What do the rules say?
A limited medical timeout may be granted by the referee for an injury sustained during play. Play must otherwise be continuous.
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