Rules
How high is a padel net?
Direct answer
A padel net is 88 centimetres high in the middle and 92 centimetres at the posts — lower than a tennis net. Occupying the net and keeping the ball at the opponents’ feet wins more club points than trying to hit baseline winners through a closed court.
Players coming from tennis often swing as if the net were still tennis height and the court were open. Padel lowered the net and closed the box. Tactics have to follow.
Figures below follow the FIP Rules of Padel. A sagging club net or a net strung too high will change the game; the official numbers are the reference.
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The official heights
The net is 10 metres long. Height is 0.88 metres at the centre, rising to 0.92 metres at the ends, with a small tolerance. Compare that with a tennis net, which is 0.91 metres at the centre and 1.07 metres at the posts. Padel’s tape is lower, especially out wide.
If a club net hangs well below 88 centimetres in the middle, the game turns into a pop-up contest. If it is strung too high, lobs get cheaper and volleys get stuffed. It is worth checking the centre with a tape if arguments keep happening.
Why the lower net changes the sport
A lower tape rewards compact volleys, chiquitas (low balls to the feet of the net player), and lobs that actually push people off the cage. It does not reward a huge tennis drive from the back: the glass is still there, and a floating ball over the middle is easy to put away.
That is also why “own the net, but don’t rush it” is beginner advice. The finishing zone is close to a lower tape, not a baseline pattern from another sport.
What to watch in practice
When you feed, notice whether the ball clears the tape with margin or skims. Club matches are full of balls that would be winners on a tennis court and sitters here. Train the shot that exists.
A racket that lets you keep the face quiet — blocks and short volleys — fits this geometry. Maximum stiffness and a tiny sweet spot do not, until your contact is reliable. Shape still leads: Pure Round while you learn the cage, Hybrid Teardrop when you mix, Attack Diamond when you already finish.
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