What happens if the ball gets stuck in the fence in padel?
By James Carter · 12 November 2026 · 2 min read
If your shot bounces in your opponents' court and then gets stuck in a hole in the metal fence, goes out through a hole, or lodges on the flat top of a wall, you win the point. But if your shot goes straight into their fence without bouncing on their floor first, you lose the point, whether or not it gets stuck.
When a stuck ball wins you the point
The FIP Rules of Padel list two situations where the player who hit the ball wins the point:
- The ball bounces in the opponents' court and then goes out through a hole in the metal fence, or gets stuck in that hole.
- The ball bounces in the opponents' court and then gets stuck on the flat horizontal surface on top of the wall.
In both cases your opponents cannot play the ball, so the point is yours.
When it loses you the point
The key is the bounce. If your shot goes directly into your opponents' metal fence, glass or anything outside their court without bouncing on their floor first, you lose the point. It does not matter whether the ball then drops back in or stays stuck. This is the same rule that applies to hitting the glass first.
Balls that hit the fence and stay in play
Most balls that hit the fence do not get stuck. If your shot bounces in your opponents' court and then hits the fence or a wall, it is still in play and they can return it, as long as it has not bounced twice. The mesh is less predictable than the glass, so balls often drop dead or deflect at odd angles. That makes shots into the fence corners awkward to defend.
What about the serve?
The serve is different. If a serve bounces in the receiver's box and then touches the metal fence before its second bounce, it is a fault. So a serve that ends up stuck in the fence is a fault, not a winner. See is there a second serve in padel.
Common questions on court
- Can I pull it out and keep playing? No. Once the ball is stuck after bouncing in your court, the point is over.
- What if the ball hits a player first? Then the rules on the ball hitting a player apply.
- Is a damaged fence a let? Not under the official rules, but clubs should repair holes, and in friendly games players often agree to replay a point caused by damage.
The bottom line
Bounce, then stuck: point to the player who hit it. Stuck without a bounce: point lost. On the serve, any contact with the fence after the bounce is a fault.
Related questions
Is a ball stuck in the fence a let in padel?
No. If it bounced in the opponents' court first, the hitter wins the point. If it went straight into the fence, the hitter loses the point.
Can you play the ball off the metal fence in padel?
If the ball bounces in your court and then hits the fence, it is still in play and you can return it before it bounces twice.
What if the ball lands on top of the wall?
If it bounced in the opponents' court first and then gets stuck on the flat top of the wall, the hitter wins the point.