Padel glossary: the terms explained
A plain-English glossary of padel terms: bandeja, vibora, chiquita, golden point, Star Point, panoramic court and the official rule terms explained.
Short answer: Padel borrows most of its scoring words from tennis and most of its shot names from Spanish, because the sport grew up in Spain and Argentina. The ones you will hear most in Australia are bandeja (a controlled overhead), vibora (a sliced overhead), chiquita (a soft low ball to the net players' feet), golden point (a single deciding point at deuce) and panoramic court (a court with all-glass side walls).
Terms marked (rules) are defined in the International Padel Federation (FIP) rulebook. The rest are common club and coaching terms. Spellings vary, and some Spanish terms are used with or without accents.
Scoring and match terms
Advantage (rules)
At deuce, the point after 40-40. Win it and the next point, and you win the game. One of three deuce formats in the FIP rules. See padel scoring.
Deuce (rules)
40-40. What happens next depends on the format: advantage, golden point or Star Point.
Golden point (rules)
A single deciding point played at 40-40, with no advantage. The receiving pair chooses who receives it. You may also hear it called "punto de oro", the Spanish name.
Star Point (rules)
A format added to the FIP rules for 2026. At 40-40 you play up to two advantage points. If neither pair converts, a single deciding point, the Star Point, settles the game. FIP announced it for the Premier Padel and CUPRA FIP tours from 2026.
Tie-break (rules)
Played at 6-6 in a set. First to 7 points, by 2. Counted in plain numbers.
Super tie-break (rules)
A tie-break to 10 points, by 2, played instead of a deciding third set when organisers choose that format.
Mini set (rules)
A shortened set, first to four games, used in some social formats.
Let or net (rules)
A serve that clips the net and lands in the correct box. It is replayed, unless it then hits the mesh fence, which makes it a fault.
Court terms
Service box (rules)
The area between the net and the service line on each side, split into two boxes by the centre line. The serve must land in the diagonally opposite box.
Service line (rules)
The line across the court 6.95 m from the net on each side.
Glass or wall (rules)
The solid parts of the enclosure: 3 m high at each end and near the ends of the side walls. Balls can be played off the glass after bouncing.
Mesh or fence (rules)
The metal mesh above and beside the glass. Your shot must never hit your own mesh, and a serve that hits the mesh after bouncing is a fault.
Panoramic court
A court built so the glass walls give a clearer view, with fewer metal uprights in the way. Many newer Australian venues advertise panoramic courts.
Out-of-court play (rules)
Running outside the court through the side openings to play a ball that has bounced out. Only allowed on courts with the safety zone the FIP rules require.
Double court and single court
A double court is the standard 20 m by 10 m doubles court. Some venues also build narrower singles courts, but standard padel is played as doubles.
Shot terms
Bandeja
A controlled overhead played from around the service line when you are lobbed. It is hit with slice to keep the ball deep and low, so you can keep the net. The name is Spanish for "tray".
Vibora
A more aggressive sliced overhead with more side spin than the bandeja. The name is Spanish for "viper".
Smash or remate
A full-power overhead. At high level, players try to smash hard enough that the ball bounces out of the court, which wins the point on courts without out-of-court play.
Chiquita
A soft, low shot played from the back to land at the net players' feet, forcing them to volley up.
Lob or globo
A high, deep shot over the net players' heads. The most useful defensive shot in padel.
Bajada
An attacking shot played off a high ball that has come off the back glass, hitting it on the way down.
Contrapared
A shot played into your own back wall so it rebounds over the net. Legal, because the ball must hit your own glass first and then cross the net. Usually a last-resort escape.
Volley
Hitting the ball before it bounces. Allowed in padel on every shot except the return of serve.
Positions and players
Drive side and revés side
The right half and left half of the court. The right-side player is often called the drive player, the left-side player the revés (backhand) player. See doubles positioning.
Pair (rules)
The FIP rules call each team a pair.
Server and receiver (rules)
The player serving, and the player diagonally opposite who receives.
Equipment terms
Padel racket (rules)
Called a "pala" in Spanish. A solid, stringless racket with a perforated face, up to 45.5 cm long and 38 mm thick, with a compulsory wrist cord. See my racket buying guide.
Round, teardrop and diamond
The three common racket head shapes. In general terms, round shapes are associated with control and diamond shapes with power, with teardrop in between.
Wrist cord (rules)
The strap on the handle. Wearing it is compulsory under the FIP rules.
Venue and booking terms
Social or social session
A drop-in session where players are mixed into games, often by level. A common entry point at Australian clubs.
Open match
A game you join through a booking app, where other players fill the remaining spots. Common on apps such as Playtomic.
Off-peak and peak
Court hire is usually cheaper during weekday working hours. See cost to play padel.
Sources for this page
Checked November 2026. Full list on the sources page.