Whether you're building a court, coaching, or just curious why padel feels so different from tennis, the court dimensions are where it all starts. Here's every measurement that defines a regulation padel court, and why each one exists.
Overall Court Size
A regulation padel court measures 20 metres long by 10 metres wide, enclosed on all sides. That's roughly a third of the size of a tennis court (23.77m x 8.23m for singles), which is exactly why padel rallies feel faster and more reactive — there's simply less ground to cover between shots.
The Walls
- Back walls: 3 metres high (typically the full-height glass panels you see behind the baseline), positioned 10m apart at each end.
- Side walls: A mix of glass (nearest the back corners) and metal mesh fencing along the middle sections, totalling the full 20m length on each side.
- Why walls matter: The ball is allowed to be played off any wall after it bounces on the court, which is what creates padel's signature strategic, chess-like rallies — you're not just hitting to a line, you're using geometry.
The Net
The net sits at the court's midpoint, 88cm high at the posts and 88cm at the centre (unlike tennis, where the net dips lower in the middle) — padel nets are essentially flat across their width.
The Service Boxes
Each side of the court is divided into two service boxes by a centre line, mirroring tennis service box logic but scaled to the smaller court. Serves must be hit underarm, below waist height, bouncing once in the server's own half before crossing into the diagonal service box.
Court Surface
Most padel courts use artificial turf (synthetic grass) infilled with sand, which provides consistent, predictable grip and ball bounce — quite different from a tennis hard court or clay surface. This is also why padel-specific shoes with herringbone-pattern soles matter: they're designed to grip artificial turf specifically.
Indoor vs Outdoor Courts
Padel courts can be built indoors or outdoors, panorámico (fully glass-walled, more premium) or with standard mesh-and-glass combinations. Indian courts are a mix of both, with indoor and covered courts increasingly popular given monsoon seasons and summer heat — check our city guide to see what's available near you.
How Padel Court Size Compares to Tennis
We've written a full side-by-side breakdown in Padel Court vs Tennis Court, but the short version: padel courts are roughly a third of the total playing area of a tennis court, which is the single biggest reason padel rallies happen faster and reward reflexes and positioning over raw power.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a padel court be built smaller than regulation size?
Some casual or converted courts vary slightly, but official regulation size (20m x 10m) is required for sanctioned tournament play, including events like the India Padel Open.
Why are padel court walls made of glass?
Glass allows spectators to watch matches clearly from outside the court while still giving players a wall to play the ball off — a signature feature of the sport.
How many people can play on one padel court?
Padel is almost always played as doubles, four players total (2v2), though singles is possible on the same court dimensions.
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