Padel doubles positioning: where to stand
Where to stand in padel doubles, how to choose between the left and right side, why the net matters, and how to move as a pair. A beginner's guide.
Short answer: In padel doubles each player takes one side of the court, left or right, and keeps it for the set when receiving. Pairs try to get forward together to the net, roughly level with each other, because that is where most points are won. When pushed back, they retreat together and defend from the back glass. The common rule of thumb is to move as a pair, side by side, as if joined by a rope.
The rules say very little about where you stand. Rule 3 only says the receiver and the other players can stand anywhere on their own side. Positioning is tactics, not law. What follows is the standard way pairs set up at most clubs, and why.
Do you play on the left or right side in padel?
Each player covers one half of the court. Once the receiving pair has chosen who receives on which side at the start of a set, that order stays for the set (Rule 8). In practice, most pairs keep the same sides for the whole match and often for their whole partnership.
The right side (often called the "drive" side)
The right-side player usually receives the first point of each game, which is served to the right half. In common club advice this player is often described as the more consistent one: they keep the ball in play, set up points and cover the middle with their forehand.
The left side (often called the "revés" or backhand side)
For two right-handers, the left-side player has their forehand in the middle of the court. That makes them well placed to take overheads and smashes through the middle. They often play the deciding points in a golden point or Star Point format, because the receiving pair chooses which side receives that point.
If one of you is left-handed, the usual setup flips: a left-hander on the left side and a right-hander on the right side both have their forehands on the outside. Some pairs prefer that, some prefer both forehands in the middle. Try both.
Why is the net so important?
At the net you can volley the ball down at your opponents' feet or angle it away, and they have little time to react. From the back, you are mostly defending with lobs and soft returns. So the basic contest in a padel point is who controls the net.
The serving pair has a head start. After the serve, the server moves forward to join their partner, who is already near the net. The receiving pair usually starts at the back and tries to win the net with a good lob that pushes the attackers back.
Where should you stand at the net?
A common starting point is a couple of metres back from the net, not right on it. Too close and a lob goes over you easily. Too far back and you are volleying from your shoelaces. Your exact spot depends on how tall you are and how quickly you can move back for overheads.
Stay roughly level with your partner. If one of you is at the net and the other is at the back, there is a big diagonal gap through the middle that good opponents will hit through.
Where should you stand when defending?
When the other pair has the net, both of you drop back towards the back glass. Stand a step or two in front of the glass so you have room to let the ball come off the wall. Watch the ball, not the opponents. Your aim is to get the ball back deep or high enough to let you regain the net, not to hit a winner.
How do you move as a pair?
The best single piece of positioning advice for social players: move together.
- Forward together. When one of you goes up to the net, the other follows.
- Back together. When a lob sends one of you back, the partner drops back too.
- Shift sideways together. If your partner is pulled wide, slide towards the middle to cover the gap.
- Who takes the middle? Agree before you start. A common rule is that the player with their forehand in the middle takes balls down the centre.
What do you do on the serve?
Serving pair: The server stands behind the service line on their side. Their partner stands near the net on the other half, ready to volley. After the serve, the server moves forward.
Receiving pair: The receiver stands near the back of their box, ready to let the serve come off the glass if it is deep. The receiver's partner usually starts near the service line or a little behind it, then adjusts depending on the return.
Simple tactics for beginners
- Lob to get the net back. A high lob over the net players' heads is the most useful shot in padel for a beginner pair.
- Hit to the middle. Balls through the middle cause confusion about who takes them, and the net is lowest there.
- Keep it low at their feet. When they are at the net, a soft low ball forces them to hit up.
- Do not overhit. Hard drives off the back glass often come straight back. Placement wins more points.
- Talk. Call "mine", "yours" and "switch" so you do not both go for the same ball.
Quick reference
| Situation | Where to be |
|---|---|
| Your pair is serving | Server behind service line, partner near net, both at net after serve |
| Your pair is receiving | Receiver deep, partner near service line |
| You have the net | Both forward, level, a couple of metres back from the net |
| They have the net | Both back, a step in front of the glass |
| Ball through the middle | Player with forehand in the middle takes it, if agreed |
None of this is in the rulebook, and coaches teach variations. A beginner lesson is the fastest way to get it right. See my guide to padel lessons and the beginner's guide for next steps.
Sources for this page
Checked November 2026. Full list on the sources page.