The 15th World Championship padel which is currently being played in Qatar offers a very beautiful spectacle. In general, the organization is more than the rendezvous with dream conditions for the players.

However, we notice that, as often, players do not fully apply a point of regulation that concerns a subject discussed recently: service.

A middle line sometimes forgotten by the players ...

During this world, we regularly see players encroaching on the square next to it when it is time to serve. As you can see on the screen, the Belgian and Dutch serving (right side) tend to serve with the left foot stepping on the center line. He even sometimes finds himself coming to land in his partner's part and therefore directly in the parallel of the turner.

Antoine Mourière, umpire of padel (JAP2), who will soon pass the training of padel (Title to Professional Purpose) and playing at the Essarts club in Vendée (85), is categorical:

"The services we see on some matches are wrong. It would thus be necessary to make a second ball or to count the engagement as a double fault.".

"Because by biting the line, the servers want to save time to go and tackle the net faster."

He reminds us that “do not catch the center line or the service line at the moment of the ball impact during the service".

Body engagement is good

And it is true that looking at it more closely, we realize that many players are guilty of this mistake.

Be careful, however, if neither of the two feet bites the line, it is quite possible to throw your body to the side. Thus, in this case, if the player kept her right foot in her square and her left foot in the air with her whole body tilting towards the other square, there would be nothing to complain about.

The objective is to get up to the net as quickly as possible and to avoid being passed in the parallel by the turner or getting a ball in the feet because we could not advance enough.

The other element which is on the other hand more complex to judge: the throwing of the ball. We see many players throwing the ball very close to their hip. Too close ?

Global service regulations padel

Again, this can give a big advantage to the server who will be able to send a stronger and more diving ball. Another element, the rebound. Remember that it is strictly forbidden to bounce the ball in the square when serving. However, many players still manage to go to the ace ...

Should the service be more scrutinized by the referees? What do you think ?

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.