Is the racket strap mandatory in padel? Dropping and throwing the racket

Yes. The FIP racket specifications make a non-elastic safety cord, no longer than 35 cm and worn on the wrist, mandatory. If the cord breaks or you drop your racket during a point, your pair loses the point immediately (FIP Rule 13r), and a ball hit with a thrown racket is also a lost point (FIP Rule 13m).

What the rules say

The safety cord is part of the racket specification

The FIP equipment rules describe the padel racket in detail, and the safety cord is part of that description. It must be non-elastic, no longer than 35 cm and worn on the wrist, and it is mandatory. A racket without a cord, or played with the cord hanging loose and not on your wrist, doesn't meet the specification.

Rule 13r: breaking the cord or dropping the racket

If a player breaks the safety cord or drops the racket, the pair immediately loses the point (FIP Rule 13r). Notice two things. First, it is the pair that loses, so your partner's dropped racket costs you both. Second, it is immediate: the point doesn't play on to see whether the ball would have come back.

Rule 13m: the thrown racket

If the ball is hit with a thrown racket, the point is lost (FIP Rule 13m). However good the shot, a racket that has left your hand can't make a legal return.

Rule 13a: the racket and the net

Your racket counts as part of you. If it touches the net, the posts, the tension cable or any part of the opponents' court while the ball is in play, you lose the point (FIP Rule 13a). That includes a racket that slips out of your hand and lands over there. For the full rule, see can you touch the net in padel.

The rest of the racket specification

Real match situations

The racket that flies out on a smash

You go for a big smash, sweaty grip, and the racket leaves your hand. The ball still goes over and the opponents can't reach it. Verdict: your pair loses the point (FIP Rule 13r). Dropping the racket loses the point immediately, whatever the ball does.

The cord snaps mid-rally

The cord on an old racket finally gives way during a rally. Verdict: point lost (FIP Rule 13r). Rule 13r names breaking the cord alongside dropping the racket. Check the cord for fraying before you play, and replace it when it starts to wear.

The desperate throw

A lob is sailing over you, you can't get there, and you throw your racket at it. It connects and the ball drops over the net. Verdict: point lost (FIP Rule 13m). A thrown racket is also exactly the kind of thing the cord exists to prevent.

The racket that slips but hangs on the cord

Your grip slips, the racket leaves your fingers but dangles from the cord on your wrist. The FIP rulebook doesn't define exactly what counts as "dropping" the racket, so this is a judgement call. With an umpire, it is the umpire's decision. In a social game, the honest approach is to stop and give the point if you couldn't play on normally. If the dangling racket touched the net, Rule 13a decides it anyway.

Switching hands for a wide ball

A ball goes wide to your backhand side and you swap the racket into your other hand to play a forehand. The FIP rulebook doesn't specifically cover switching hands, and we found no prohibition in it. The practical problem is the cord: it is on one wrist, so swapping hands mid-rally can twist it or pull the racket out of position. Most players who try it find it isn't worth the risk of a drop under Rule 13r.

The two-handed backhand

Some players, especially juniors and players from tennis, hit backhands with two hands. The rulebook doesn't address two-handed grips and contains no prohibition on them. Keep the cord on your dominant wrist and play.

Common misconceptions

• "The strap is optional in friendly games." In the FIP rules it is mandatory equipment. Clubs can't change the physics either: a racket without a cord can fly into someone's face.
• "Any cord will do." The specification calls for a non-elastic cord of no more than 35 cm. An elastic band or a long lanyard doesn't meet it.
• "Dropping the racket only matters if you then miss the ball." No. Rule 13r loses the point immediately, even if your shot was a winner.
• "A thrown racket is fine if it's a great shot." Rule 13m says the point is lost, every time.
• "Two-handed shots are illegal in padel." Nothing in the FIP rulebook prohibits them.

Social games vs official matches

In official FIP-rules matches, the equipment specification and Rules 13r and 13m apply as written. In club and social games, wearing the cord is both the rule and the expected etiquette, and most clubs and coaches insist on it for safety. The grey areas are the ones the rulebook doesn't spell out, like a racket that slips but stays on the cord. Agree before you start how you will treat those, and give the point away when it is your mistake.

Practical tips: wear it properly

1. Hand through first. Put your hand through the loop before you take your grip, not afterwards.
2. Tighten it. Slide the stopper or twist the loop so it sits snugly on your wrist without cutting in. A loose cord lets the racket travel further if it slips.
3. Check it regularly. Look for fraying where the cord meets the handle, especially on older rackets.
4. Dry your hands. Most drops happen with a wet grip. Use the time between points (up to 20 seconds under FIP Rule 2) to wipe your hand, and replace a worn overgrip.

If you're new to the game, our rules of padel guide covers everything else you need to know before your first match, and the rules hub collects every specific question in one place.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• FIP Rules of Padel (official rulebook)