An ace in padel is rare. Much rarer than tennis. The serve is underhand, the receiving team starts in a balanced position, and the court is enclosed — there’s nowhere to hide a serve from a competent returner. At the pro level, true aces are rare enough that commentators name them. Watching Paquito Navarro hit a clean ace at Premier Padel Madrid 2024 (down the T, off the side glass) was a highlight of the entire week.
But aces ARE possible at amateur level — and your serve doesn’t need to be a weapon to win you free points. A well-placed serve that ends the rally on the third or fourth ball is functionally an ace’s cousin. This guide covers both: the rare, clean ace that ends the point on the serve itself, and the more achievable goal of using your serve as a setup that wins the point quickly.
If you’re new to padel itself and unfamiliar with how the underhand serve works at all, start with our guide to what is padel for the foundations.
