What Is Padel? Where and How to Play It in Istanbul

Padel is a racket sport played by four people on a small court enclosed by glass and mesh walls, with a short, stringless racket. The two things that set it apart from tennis: the ball stays in play off the walls, and the court is roughly a third the size of a tennis court.

The serve is underarm and struck after one bounce. Scoring is the same as tennis: 15, 30, 40, game. A ball that bounces and then comes off the wall is still live; a ball that hits the wall first is not.

The padel racket is short, solid and perforated. The court is small, so you cover less ground, rallies run longer and the walls shape the point. Position and timing decide padel matches, not power.

A padel racket, pressurised padel balls and shoes with grip. Most venues rent rackets for a first session, so you can play a few matches before deciding whether to buy your own.

Padel is played by four — two teams of two. Singles courts exist but are rare, which means a match only happens when all four spots are filled.

Padel courts have multiplied in the last few years, and both sides of the city have courts attached to sports facilities. Courts are rented by the hour and evening slots go early, so book ahead.

The real problem in padel is assembling four people. On Racket Crush you can see players nearby, publish an open match for the spots you are missing, and fill a four-player doubles line-up from the app.