Diagonal service
Diagonal service means every padel serve is delivered cross-court into the opposite service box. The rule is identical to tennis. The server stands on the deuce side serving to the deuce receiver’s box, or the advantage side serving to the advantage receiver’s box. Hitting straight ahead is a fault.
What is diagonal service in padel?
Diagonal service is the rule that every serve must travel diagonally across the court and land in the opposite service box. Right-handed servers usually start on the right (deuce) side, serving across to the left receiver’s box, then alternate sides each point.
When does it apply?
On every single serve. There are no exceptions. Both the first serve and the second serve must be diagonal. A serve that lands in the same-side service box is a fault regardless of how cleanly it was struck.
How the diagonal lines are defined
The central service line divides each side of the court into a deuce box and an advantage box. The server stands behind the service line, on the same side as the box they are about to serve to. The ball must clear the net and land inside the opposite-side box.
Quick reference: Every serve is cross-court. Deuce side serves to deuce receiver’s box. Advantage side serves to advantage receiver’s box.
Common misconceptions
Diagonal service in padel is identical to tennis - players coming from tennis sometimes assume padel has a different geometry. It does not. The serve box dimensions differ (6.95 m back vs tennis 6.4 m) but the diagonal rule is the same.
