At the padel, the service is an essential phase that obeys precise rules. One of the main requirements concerns the way in which the ball is put into play. Unlike other racket sports, the ball must not be thrown in the air to perform the service and the impact zone must be located at the belt height or below.

A rule that is often ignored or flouted

What does the rule say? According to the current regulations of the International Federation of Padel : “When hitting the ball, it must be at the belt height or below, and the server must have at least one foot in contact with the ground.” (Article 6 FIP)

The FIP specifies the following case: How high can a player hit the ball while bending their legs when serving?
Decision : The ball can be hit at height from the belt or below, as it exists at the time of execution of the service.

The belt: what definition?

La belt, in the context of the padel rules, corresponds to the size . It precisely designates the natural horizontal line that separates the upper body (trunk) from the lower part (hips and legs). Here is how to locate it:

  1. Exact position :
    • La belt is located at the level of the size , where trousers or skirts are traditionally worn.
    • It is located slightly above the hipsMore below the navel.
  2. Why this landmark?
    • Use the size as a reference allows a clear and uniform application of the rules, because it is easy to identify on each player, whatever their morphology.
    • Le navel, although it is a visual cue, can vary in height depending on postures and body proportions. It is therefore not used in the official rules to avoid ambiguous interpretations.
  3. Concretely in padel :
    • When serving, the ball must be hit at a height maximum waist (belt) or below.
    • If a player bends his legs, the height of the belt lowers at the same time, and this new height becomes the permitted limit for the strike.

Despite its importance, this rule is regularly flouted by ignorance or by habit. Some players coming from tennis are not familiar with this obligation specific to padel. In tennis, it is allowed to throw the ball to hit it at maximum height, which leads to confusion among some players who adopt the same approach in padel. This lack of respect is therefore sometimes linked to a reflex from tennis, where the service relies more on power and height.

invernon global service

Reminder: hit the ball below the waist

Beyond the ball release, it is also fundamental to remember that the ball must be hit below waist height (either below the navel). This point of the regulation is inseparable from the technical gesture of the service. The objective is to maintain a balanced game dynamic, where technique and strategy take precedence over power or physical domination.

Respect the rules for a fair game

These rules, although specific, contribute to the identity of padel. They aim to ensure a more technical and strategic game, while promoting the accessibility of the sport to a wide audience. If you keep taking aces, then there is definitely a problem, since in padel, aces almost do not exist.




Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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