Section 7: Violations & Penalties
Service Faults (Rule 7)
Under Rule 7.1, a served ball is a fault if:
- The server infringes any part of Rule 6 ("The Service") — including failing to keep at least one foot behind the service line until the ball is struck, touching the service line or central line with a foot, or letting the ball cross the service line (or its imaginary extension) before it is struck (Rule 7.1.a, referencing Rule 6.1–6.3).
- The server misses the ball when attempting to strike it — a "whiff" counts as a fault (Rule 7.1.b).
- The ball bounces outside the receiver's service box; the lines themselves are counted as good (Rule 7.1.c).
- The ball hits the server, the server's partner, or any object worn or carried by either player (Rule 7.1.d).
- The ball bounces in the receiver's service box and then touches the metallic fence around the court before the second bounce (Rule 7.1.e).
- The ball bounces in the receiver's service box and then bounces out of the court through the access gates on a court without an authorized safety zone for out-of-court play (Rule 7.1.f).
Equipment Failure During Play
Under the FIP Rules of Padel (Review of Application 01.01.2026), if either player's safety cord breaks or a player drops their racket during a point, the pair immediately loses the point in dispute (Rule 13.1.r). This applies regardless of intent and irrespective of where the point stood when the equipment failed.
Double Bounce Violation
If the ball bounces twice on the ground on one side of the court before being returned, the point is awarded to the opposing pair (Rule 13.1.c). This is the most common way points end in padel. Players must reach the ball before the second bounce, even if the ball rebounds off the walls.
Net and Wall Violations
- A player, their racket, or anything worn or carried touches the net, net posts, the tension cable, or any part of the opponent's court while the ball is in play — loss of point (Rule 13.1.a).
- If a player returns the ball off the walls of their own court but the ball then hits the net or net posts and lands on one of the walls of the opposing court, the fence, or an unrelated element on the ground of the opponent's court, the point is lost (Rule 13.1.h).
- A player hits the ball before it has gone over the net — loss of point (Rule 13.1.f).
- The ball hits any part of a player or their equipment, apart from the racket after being struck by the opposing team — loss of point (Rule 13.1.k).
Code Violations and Penalties
The FIP Code of Conduct provides a graduated penalty system for behavioral violations:
- First offense: Verbal warning from the chair umpire.
- Second offense: Point penalty — one point awarded to the opposing pair.
- Third offense: Game penalty — one game awarded to the opposing pair.
- Fourth offense or severe misconduct: Default (disqualification from the match).
Violations include racket abuse (throwing or smashing the racket), verbal abuse directed at opponents, officials, or spectators, deliberate ball abuse (hitting the ball out of the court in anger), coaching violations (receiving instructions from outside the court during play), and deliberate time-wasting.
Hindrance and Interference
If a player is hindered by an external factor beyond the players' control (such as a ball from another court, an animal on court, or a spectator interference), the chair umpire may call a let and replay the point. Deliberate hindrance by a player results in loss of the point.