Padel Court Dimensions & Net Height (Official Rules)

Before you step onto a padel court, it helps to know exactly what you’re stepping onto. The court is smaller than a tennis court, enclosed by glass and mesh, and full of lines and angles that decide how every single point is played.

Whether you’re building a court, choosing between clubs, or just trying to understand why the ball behaves the way it does, these are the official numbers — the same measurements used in every international competition.

The Playing Area: 10m x 20m

With the court layout in mind, mastering the serve is your first real weapon. Read more about the court setup here

A padel court is a rectangle exactly 10 metres wide and 20 metres long. That’s the same court used in official competition worldwide, and it’s less than half the length of a tennis court — one big reason rallies are so much longer in padel: there’s simply less ground to cover.

Dimension	Official measurement
Court length	20m
Court width	10m
Total playing area	200 m²
Service line distance from net	3m
Service box size	5m wide x 3m deep

The net divides the court in half, and each half is marked with the same set of lines: a service line running parallel to the net at 3m, and a middle line running from the net to the service line. Together they create four service boxes, each 5m wide and 3m deep — two on each side of the net.

The playing surface itself is almost always artificial grass laid over a solid base, sometimes dressed with a thin layer of sand. That surface slows the ball just enough to make control and placement the most valuable skills on court. Courts are typically built slightly recessed, with the walls rising directly from the surface so rebounds stay true and water drains cleanly off the playing area.

Walls: The Court’s Signature Feature

Padel is the only one of the major racket sports where the court itself is part of the game. The walls are regulation, not decoration.

Wall	Height
Side walls	3m
Back wall	4m, spanning the full 10m width
Mesh above the walls	Optional, typically 2–4m extra

The side walls run along the court’s length at 3m high, while the back wall — which spans the full 10m width behind each baseline — stands 4m high under official rules. Most courts use tempered glass for the lower sections and metal mesh above, which lets spectators watch the action. In many clubs, a fence extends a few metres above the walls to keep stray balls inside the facility.

Net Height: 0.88m at Center, 0.92m at Posts

The net is lower at the center than at the posts — and both measurements are specified by the rules:

Net position	Height
Center	0.88m
Posts	0.92m
Net length	10m

The net posts sit just outside the sidelines, one on each side of the court. The rules specify both the center and post heights because a perfectly flat net is physically impossible — the 4cm drop toward the center is built into the design. That low, slightly sagging net is exactly why underhand shots, drop volleys, and flat low drives are so effective in padel: the ball simply doesn’t have much net to clear.

Service Boxes and Key Lines

Every line on a padel court is exactly 5cm wide, and all of them are part of the play — a ball that touches a line is in. Here’s the full layout:

Line	Location
Service line	3m from the net, parallel to it, on each side
Middle line	Divides the service boxes, from the net to the service line
Baseline (back line)	The 20m mark, where the serve is taken from
Sidelines	The 10m marks, running along the side walls

The serve must be taken from behind the baseline, and the ball must land in the diagonally opposite service box — the same principle as tennis, just with a shorter court and the underhand delivery.

Why the Dimensions Matter for Your Game

The geometry of the court shapes every strategy in padel. The 3m and 4m walls create the rebounds you play off and the angles you defend; the low 0.88m net invites underhand shots and soft drop volleys; the 3m service line keeps serves short and fair; and the 10m x 20m rectangle keeps four players constantly involved. Every number on this page affects how a point actually unfolds — so the next time you stand behind the baseline, you’ll know exactly why the court is built the way it is.

For a quick reference, here are the essential numbers in one place:

Measurement	Value
Court	10m x 20m
Side walls	3m high
Back wall	4m high, 10m wide
Net	0.88m center, 0.92m posts
Service line	3m from the net
Service box	5m x 3m

And because the court rewards control and placement over raw power, what you hold in your hand matters more than how hard you swing. Understanding the space is step one; equipping yourself to use it — a racket whose weight and balance suit your game — is step two.