Question 1

What is padel?

Accepted Answer

Padel is a racquet sport played in doubles on an enclosed court about a third the size of a tennis court. The court is surrounded by glass walls and metal mesh, so the ball can bounce off the walls and stay in play. The racket is solid (no strings), made from composite materials, and the serve is underhand. Scoring follows tennis exactly: 15, 30, 40, game. Padel has been popular in Spain and Latin America for decades; in Turkey it has spread rapidly over the past 4–5 years. Among racquet sports, it is the easiest to enjoy on day one — real rallies happen within an hour. For a fuller introduction, see our Learn Padel section.

Question 2

How do you play padel?

Accepted Answer

Padel is always played in doubles — 2 vs 2. The serving player drops the ball, lets it bounce once, then hits it underhand into the diagonal service box, contact made below the waist. After landing in the opponent's court, the ball can rebound off the back or side walls and remain in play; players use these rebounds to return shots. Scoring follows tennis: 15-30-40-game, six games to a set, best of three sets to win the match. Two things to remember on day one: the walls are part of play (not the net), and the serve is underhand. The rest comes with practice. A detailed beginner walkthrough is in our Padel Guides section.

Question 3

What are the rules of padel?

Accepted Answer

Core rules: serve is underhand — drop the ball, let it bounce, hit it below waist height into the diagonal service box. If the serve hits the net but lands in the correct box, it's a let and is replayed; two consecutive faults lose the point (just like tennis). After the ball bounces in court, it may strike the surrounding walls and stay in play — this is the defining feature of padel. If the ball hits the metal mesh on the opponent's side, the point goes to the opponent; on your own side, play continues. Scoring is identical to tennis; some amateur tournaments use a 'golden point' instead of deuce. For full scoring details, see our Padel Scoring Rules guide.

Question 4

How many players in padel?

Accepted Answer

Padel is played by 4 people — 2 vs 2 — by design. This is the foundation of the sport; the court size and wall mechanics simply do not work well with single players. Every professional tournament, club league, and official competition runs only doubles. Some people try 'singles padel' casually, but the narrow court is exhausting alone and loses the essence of the game. The doubles structure also reinforces the social side: padel is fundamentally a friend-group sport where team chemistry matters. To dig into how doubles strategy actually works, see our Padel Doubles Strategy guide.

Question 5

How much does padel cost?

Accepted Answer

In Turkey, court rental typically runs 200–500 TL per hour; central Istanbul and Antalya clubs sit toward the upper end, smaller cities at the lower end. Split four ways, that's 50–125 TL per person. Renting a racket on-site adds about 50–100 TL per session. A tube of padel balls (3–4 balls) costs around 150–250 TL and lasts 5–10 sessions. Buying your own gear: a basic racket runs 1,500–4,000 TL, padel shoes 1,500–3,500 TL, a racket bag 500–1,200 TL — a one-time investment of 3,500–8,500 TL total. For someone playing regularly, this pays back inside three months. For racket budgeting specifically, see our How to Choose a Padel Racket guide.

Question 6

What equipment do you need for padel?

Accepted Answer

Four core items: a padel racket (solid, composite, ~360–375g), padel balls (similar to tennis balls but about 25% lower pressure), padel shoes (with herringbone or omni soles for lateral support), and comfortable athletic clothing. In practice, on your first session you can rent a racket and use the club's balls — so all you actually need to bring is comfortable clothes and the right shoes. Once you're playing regularly, your own racket and balls noticeably improve your game. Helpful extras: towel, water, shoulder bag, spare overgrip, sports bra (lots of lateral movement). For a full breakdown of every category, browse our Padel Equipment section.

Question 7

What age can you start padel?

Accepted Answer

Six is the typical lower bound for kids, using mini rackets and lightweight balls. Eight and up is ideal: the child can handle standard equipment, follow rules, and sustain real rallies. There's no upper age limit — anyone with healthy knees and back can enjoy padel into their 60s and 70s. The active player base in Turkey skews 25–45, but regular players in their 70s are not unusual. People with prior tennis or squash experience pick up padel faster than other racquet sports; for total racquet-sport beginners, padel is also the most welcoming entry point. For first-lesson preparation, see our How to Start Padel in Turkey guide.

Question 8

What's the injury risk in padel?

Accepted Answer

Padel sits in the low-to-moderate injury risk range — somewhere between tennis and squash. The most common issues are: lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow), rotator cuff strain (from overworked bandejas and smashes), wrist strain (since padel rackets have no strings, vibration goes straight to the hand), Achilles tendinopathy (from sudden lateral movements), and lower-back tightness. Most risk factors are preventable: correct racket weight (350–365g for beginners), padel shoes with proper lateral support, an 8–10 minute dynamic warm-up, and not pushing through pain before technique is solid. 'Playing through it' turns minor strains into real injuries. For the full prevention playbook, see our Padel Injury Prevention guide.

Question 9

Where can I find a padel court in Turkey?

Accepted Answer

Padel courts are now in every Turkish metropolitan area and most mid-sized cities. Active clubs operate in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Bursa, Kocaeli, Adana, and Mersin, with the entire Aegean and Mediterranean coastline well-covered; new venues are opening in central Anatolia (Eskişehir, Konya, Kayseri). Coastal areas see heavy summer demand and shift to indoor courts in winter. Black Sea region count is still smaller but growing fast. PadelKöy currently lists 79+ courts across 100+ cities, searchable by price range, indoor/outdoor filter, and user reviews. To browse courts in your city, start with our Cities page.

Question 10

How much does a padel racket cost?

Accepted Answer

At 2026 Turkey prices, beginner rackets run 1,500–4,000 TL. This range covers Bullpadel Junior, Adidas Match, Wilson Bela 1, Head Flash and similar — soft cores and wide sweet spots that make learning easier. Mid-range is 4,000–8,000 TL: this is where last-season pro models live, and the price-to-quality ratio is highest here. Premium and pro models run 8,000–15,000+ TL: latest tech, player signatures, sharpest performance. Buying second-hand is fine — tap the racket lightly; if it sounds dull rather than crisp, the core may be cracked, skip it. On a tight budget, a used premium racket often beats a new entry-level one. For matching racket choice to skill and style, see our How to Choose a Padel Racket guide.

Question 11

Is padel or tennis easier?

Accepted Answer

If you mean 'enjoying it on day one,' padel wins easily. The lower-pressure ball, smaller court, and absence of overhead serving mean you'll be rallying with a partner inside the first 20 minutes; tennis takes weeks of practice just to hit a clean forehand. Long-term, neither stays easy — intermediate padel has serious tactical depth (when to lob, when to bandeja, how to use the walls), and at the same level, tennis remains technically more demanding (serve, slice, spin all take months to develop). Pick by what you want from the sport: doubles and social play points to padel; solo technical mastery points to tennis. For the full breakdown, see our Padel vs Tennis comparison guide.

Question 12

What do you wear on a padel court?

Accepted Answer

A comfortable athletic t-shirt, shorts/skirt/track pants, and proper padel or court shoes — that's all you need. Important: do not play padel in running shoes. Running shoes are designed for forward motion; padel is a lateral-movement sport, and the narrow base of running shoes makes ankles unstable in lateral cuts — sprains become a real risk. Use shoes with a wide base and herringbone or omni-pattern sole. A sports bra matters for women — there's a lot of lateral movement and jumping. Outdoor in summer: hat and UV-protective clothing. Indoor in winter: breathable fabric. Take off watches and rings (glass walls crack on impact). Nobody plays in jewelry, but worth flagging. For shoe selection, see our How to Choose Padel Shoes guide.

Padel: Frequently Asked Questions

Go deeper

Learn Padel

Padel Guides

Padel Equipment

Padel: Frequently Asked Questions

Go deeper

Learn Padel

Padel Guides

Padel Equipment