Padel Court Dimensions Explained

A padel court is 20 metres long and 10 metres wide — roughly one-third the area of a tennis court. Those numbers are the foundation, but the geometry that actually shapes how the game is played comes from the glass walls, the service boxes, and the net height variation across the court. Understanding the dimensions makes tactics legible rather than intuitive.

Overall dimensions

• Length: 20m (10m per side)
• Width: 10m
• Total area: 200 m²
• Enclosure height: 3m on side walls (wire mesh above 3m), 4m on back walls

The enclosed nature of the court is the defining structural feature. Every wall — side glass panels, back glass, and mesh above the glass — is in play. Balls may be played off any surface after the first bounce.

The net

Net height at the posts: 92cm. Net height at the centre: 88cm. This 4cm drop at the centre creates a slightly larger margin for cross-court shots through the middle compared to shots hit directly at the posts. Experienced players target the centre of the net on approach and passing shots — not just to avoid the posts, but because the 4cm lower tape means a marginally larger margin for error.

Service boxes

The service box is 6.95m deep (from the back wall) and 5m wide (half the court width). The service line runs 6.95m from the back glass on each side, and the centre service line divides the box. On serve, the ball must land in the diagonally opposite box — same as tennis. The 6.95m depth leaves roughly 3m from the service line to the net, which defines how much court the server must cover on approach after a good return.

The kitchen (no-volley zone) — there isn't one

Unlike pickleball, padel has no non-volley zone. Players may volley from any position on the court, including immediately at the net. This is why the net battle in padel is so central to the game — there's no enforced space between the players and the net tape.

The glass and how it shapes positioning

The back glass begins at ground level and runs 4m high. The side glass panels start at ground level on the lower section and transition to wire mesh above 3m. The usable glass height affects where lobs land — a ball hit deep enough to reach the back glass 4m up will rebound into a playable position mid-court; a ball that strikes the side mesh at 3.5m may behave unpredictably depending on court condition and ball speed.

Service boxes are 6.95m deep, which means after a return lands near the back glass, the serving team is typically in the 3–7m zone — what players call the transition zone. Understanding that this zone sits between the service line and the net helps explain why the volley is so dominant: the geometry strongly rewards getting to the net before your opponent can reset from the back glass.

Court variation in real clubs

Club courts built to WPT spec match these dimensions exactly. Older installations and some indoor courts deviate by up to 30cm in width or depth. If you notice certain lobs consistently hitting the wire instead of the glass on a new court, measure the back wall height — it may not be 4m.