Service Box Rules in Padel

The service box in padel is the area on the court where the ball must bounce during serve. The service boxes are the two areas on each side of the court separated by the center service line. The server must serve to the service box diagonally opposite from their serving position—this is the same pattern as tennis. The service boxes are bounded by the service line (parallel to net), sidelines, and center service line. The ball must land completely within the service box boundaries; even partially out is a fault. The lines are considered IN the service box, so a serve landing on the line is valid. Players unfamiliar with padel court dimensions may misjudge service box placement, resulting in serves landing outside. Practicing serves to develop consistency within the service box is fundamental to padel competency. Understanding service box dimensions and boundaries prevents easy-avoidable faults.