The walls are what make padel padel, and for players coming from pickleball or tennis they are the biggest adjustment. Can the ball hit the glass or the metal fence? Can you use your own wall? This guide sticks to what the official FIP rules allow and forbid, so you know exactly when a ball is still alive.
For the names of the different wall shots, see our padel glossary.
The walls in 30 seconds
- The ball must bounce on the floor of the other side before it touches their walls or fence.
- After that bounce, the glass, the mesh and the corners all keep the ball in play.
- You can play the ball off your own glass walls to get it back over the net.
- You cannot send it into your own metal fence.
- You may only run outside the court to chase a ball on courts built for it.
The court: glass, mesh and how high
Under the FIP rules, a padel court is "a rectangle 10 meters wide by 20 meters long (interior measurements)". At each end there is "A total height of 4 meters the first 3 m of which is wall", topped by 1 meter of metal fence.
The sides come in two official layouts. Either way, solid wall sections sit at the ends of each side and metal mesh completes the enclosure. Walls can be glass or a solid material such as brick, as long as they bounce uniformly.
The golden rule: floor first
This is the one rule to remember (Rule 13.1(g)). If you hit the ball and it touches the other side's walls, metal fence or anything else before it bounces on their floor, you lose the point. That applies whether you hit it straight there or off your own walls first.
The same goes for the net. If your shot clips the net or posts and then flies straight into the opponents' walls or fence without bouncing, that is also your point lost.
After the bounce: everything keeps the ball alive
Once the ball has bounced on the opponents' side, the walls become part of the game. The FIP rules say the ball "will remain in play and should be returned before it bounces for the second time." This covers "the insides of the walls, the metallic mesh fence that encloses the court, the ground, the net and net posts."
So a ball that bounces and then hits the glass, the fence, or both, is still live, and so is one that bounces into the corner where wall meets floor.
What ends the rally is the second bounce. If the ball bounces twice on your side before you return it, you lose the point.
Keep fresh balls in the bag with a 4-pack or 24-ball pack of Cannonballz. They are made with natural rubber, pressurized, and covered in felt "with a 57% wool blend".
Using your own walls
Here is the part that surprises newcomers: you can use the walls on your own side. A return is correct if the ball "hits the wall in the players own court first and it then bounces into the opponent's court." In other words, you can play the ball into your own glass and let it rebound over the net, as long as it lands on the other side before touching their walls.
You can also volley the ball before it bounces on your side; the walls are an option, not a requirement.
The limit is the metal fence. If your shot touches your own metal fence, or your own floor, you lose the point. Glass yes, mesh no.
When the point ends
| Situation | Result |
|---|---|
| Your shot hits their wall or fence before bouncing on their floor | You lose the point |
| Ball bounces on their side, then hits their glass or mesh | Still in play |
| Ball bounces into the corner where wall meets floor | Good return |
| You play it off your own glass and it lands on their side | Good return |
| Your shot touches your own metal fence or your own floor | You lose the point |
| Ball bounces twice before you return it | You lose the point |
| After bouncing on their side, the ball goes through a hole in the fence or gets stuck in it | You win the point |
| After bouncing on their side, the ball gets stuck on the flat top of the wall | You win the point |
Leaving the court to play the ball
Some courts let players run outside to chase a ball, and some do not. The FIP rules allow it only "whenever the court fulfills the conditions established" for out-of-court play. That means two access points on each side and a clear safety area outside the court, at least 3 meters wide, 4 meters long and 3 meters high.
On courts without out-of-court play: if your shot bounces correctly on the other side and then leaves the court, the return is good and the point is yours. Players also may not hit the ball while a foot, or any part of their body, is outside the court.
On courts with out-of-court play: if the ball leaves over the side wall or through the door, the point goes on. The rules say the point is lost when the ball bounces a second time or touches something that is not part of the court, so players can run out and play it. A return hit from outside the court is valid if it meets the normal return rules.
Over the end wall: the FIP rules mention a ball that bounces correctly and leaves over the end wall, but the wording does not make clear when the point ends in that case. We are not going to guess. If it comes up, check with the umpire or your club.
Net and body contact during the rally
While the ball is in play, you lose the point if you, your racket or anything you are wearing or carrying touches the net, the posts, the tension cable or any part of the opponents' court. Jumping over the net during the point also loses it.
Hold on to your racket, too. The FIP rules say rackets must have a wrist cord ("a non-elastic cord of a maximum length of 35 cm"), and its use is obligatory. If a player "breaks their safety cord or drops their racket", the pair immediately lose the point.
Choosing a racket? Mint's range includes the teardrop Merite and Merveille, the diamond Manouvre and Majeste, and the round Maitre. See round vs teardrop vs diamond and how to choose a padel racket. Mint also sells 3g racket weight strips, 3 grams each, 10 strips per pack, for pickleball paddles and padel rackets.
The serve and the mesh
One wall rule is different on the serve. A serve that bounces in the box and then touches the metal fence before its second bounce is a fault, even though the same ball would be live in a rally. Our padel serve rules guide covers this in full.
Quick FAQ
Can the ball hit the glass on my opponents' side? Yes, but only after it has bounced on their floor.
Can I hit the ball into my own back wall? Your own glass, yes, as long as it then lands on the other side. Your own metal fence, no.
Is a ball that hits the fence after bouncing still in? Yes. After a correct bounce, the fence is part of the court and the ball stays in play until it bounces again.
Can I run outside the court? Only on courts that meet the FIP conditions for out-of-court play.
How do points add up? See our padel scoring guide.
New to the game? Our padel vs pickleball guide explains how the two compare, and the Unleash Tournament Bag "works equally well for pickleball and padel".
Sources
- International Padel Federation, Rules of Padel (review of application 01.01.2026), via the FIP rules page
Short quotes are used for commentary. Rules can change, so check the current official rules before a tournament.
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