If the ball hits you, or anything you are wearing apart from your racket, after your opponents have hit it, you lose the point. If your own shot hits you or your partner, you also lose the point. On the serve, a ball that hits the receiving pair before bouncing gives the point to the server.
During a rally
The FIP Rules of Padel say a point is lost if the ball hits any part of a player or their equipment, apart from the racket, after being hit by the opposing team. The same rules treat a ball that hits the opposing team's body, clothing or racket as a correct return by the player who hit it.
In practice, that means if your opponent's shot hits you, they win the point. The rules make no exception for balls that look like they are going out, so getting out of the way is usually the smart move.
When your own shot hits you or your partner
If the ball touches you or your partner after you have hit it, your pair loses the point. This most often happens when a ball comes off your own back glass at an awkward angle, or when a shot from near the net catches the back of your partner.
Clear communication helps here, and our guide to passing the ball to your partner explains the related rules.
On the serve
- The serve hits the receiving pair. If the served ball hits either receiving player or their rackets before it bounces, the point goes to the server.
- The serve hits the server or their partner. That is a fault.
- The serve clips the net and then hits a player. That is treated as a net serve and is replayed.
For the full serve rules, see is there a second serve in padel.
Does the racket count?
No. The racket is the one piece of equipment the ball is allowed to touch. If the ball hits your racket and goes back over the net, the rally continues. If it hits your racket and does not go over, you lose the point because you failed to return it.
Is it fair to aim at your opponents?
Hitting towards your opponents' feet or body is a normal tactic in padel, especially at the net, because it is hard to return. Aiming at someone's head or face is not. In social games, the usual etiquette is:
- Aim low, at the feet or the hip, rather than high.
- Take pace off the ball when an opponent is very close and unprotected.
- Apologise if you hit someone, even when it was a fair shot.
Staying safe at the net
- Keep your racket up in front of your face and chest when you are at the net.
- Turn your shoulder and protect your face rather than looking away completely.
- Consider protective sports glasses if you play a lot of fast net exchanges.
For more on avoiding knocks and strains, read the most common padel injuries.
Two other awkward situations have their own rules: when the ball hits the roof on an indoor court, and when the ball gets stuck in the fence.
The bottom line
If your opponents' shot hits you, you lose the point. If your own shot hits you or your partner, you lose it too. On the serve, a ball that hits the receivers before bouncing is the server's point.
Related questions
Do you lose the point if the ball hits you but was going out?
Under the rules, a player hit by the ball after the opponents have played it loses the point. There is no exception for balls that look like they are going out.
What if the serve hits the receiver in padel?
If the served ball hits a receiving player or their racket before it bounces, the point goes to the server.
Can you hit your opponent on purpose in padel?
Aiming at the body or feet is a common tactic, but aiming at the head or face is considered poor etiquette and can be dangerous.