When the level increases, players leave the field to defend “by 3”. But you still need to have the space to do it safely...

"All outings are final": you must have already read this sentence, written on tickets for concerts, amusement parks or fairs of all kinds. At padel, it's exactly the opposite: no exit (from the track) should be definitive – understand “fatal”.

It is precisely to prevent players from injuring themselves while going to retrieve a ball outside that standards govern the construction of fields. But what are these standards, exactly?

3 meters, 2 meters or 1,40 meters?

Some claim that you need a minimum of 3 meters, others say that you can settle for 2 meters, when it's not 1,40 m... Fortunately, the padel was not invented by the British, otherwise these distances would have to be calculated in feet or yards!

But let's try to see it more clearly.

Le FFT specifications indicates all the dimensions recommended for the construction of a padel. It is specified there (see photo below) that the game outside is only possible if the ground offers symmetrical clearing zones free of any obstacle. The recommended minimum size for these areas is 8 meters long, 1,40 m wide and at least 2 m high.

An extract from the specifications of the French Tennis Federation and padel

To allow outings, two fields located side by side must therefore be spaced at least 2,80 m apart. But is that enough to authorize exits during two matches played at the same time? Common sense says no: if two players go out at the same time (however unlikely that is), it absolutely cannot be done safely in such a small space.

Le specifications of the International Federation of padel – supposed to govern the game of professionals – is it the best say on this subject? The answer is yes ! As shown in the document below, the FIP recommends a larger clearance zone: the length is also 8 meters, but the width increases to 2 meters and the height to 3 meters. In volume, this safety zone is 2,14 times larger than that predicted by the FFT (and 1,43 times larger in area).

An extract from the specifications of the International Federation of padel

Are two adjoining grounds separated by 4 meters sure to guarantee sufficient security for the “acrobats” defending par 3s? We can debate the question, but for us, it's always "no": a player carried away by his momentum has very little chance of being able to stop his race inside the 2 meters...

Protect post and door frame

On the other hand, we give a good point to the FIP because it imposes to protect the post of the net and the frame of the door by rubber, plastic or neoprene, in order to reduce the risk of injury in the event of impact. The FFT also recommends protection, but only for the post and the net tensioning system.

But the French Federation does not admit defeat: it goes a little further than the FIP in at least one area. For clubs with at least four tracks and wishing to host high-level competitions, it recommends the construction of at least one center court. This must have a clearance (or safety zone) of at least 8 x 3 meters and, ideally, a ceiling height of 9 meters or more.

A central court provides more space on the sides but also in height

There you go, you know everything (or almost) about exit security. It is up to each club to find the best compromise between optimal security and the need to optimize space by accommodating as many tracks as possible in a number of square meters that is never unlimited.

After 40 years of tennis, Jérôme falls into the pot of padel in 2018. Since then, he thinks about it every morning while shaving… but never shaves pala in hand! Journalist in Alsace, he has no other ambition than to share his passion with you, whether you speak French, Italian, Spanish or English.

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