How to play padel — the rules in 5 minutes

Padel is played 2 vs 2 on an enclosed 10x20 m court. Scoring is the same as tennis (15/30/40, games, sets). The serve is underhand, hit at or below waist height after one bounce. The ball may bounce off the glass walls and stay in play — that is the biggest difference from tennis.

Bounce the ball once behind the service line, then hit it at or below waist level, diagonally into the opponents' service box. You get two attempts, like in tennis. The ball may touch the glass after bouncing in the box, but if it hits the wire mesh directly it is a fault.

Yes — on your own side you can play the ball off the back or side walls after it bounces, and you can even hit your return into your own glass (not the mesh) to send it over the net. A ball that hits the opponents' wall without bouncing on the floor first is out.

Yes: 15, 30, 40, game; six games win a set (with a tie-break at 6-6 in most formats); matches are usually best of three sets. Many social games in clubs are played by time (60-90 minutes) instead of full sets.

No — it is widely considered the easiest racket sport to start. The court is small, the racket is short and solid (no strings), the serve is underhand, and rallies happen from your very first game. Most people enjoy their first session with zero experience.

A padel racket, padel balls (slightly lower pressure than tennis balls) and normal sports shoes are enough to start. In Antalya clubs like V7 Padel rackets and balls can be provided, so you can try before buying anything.

Antalya has dedicated padel clubs; V7 Padel in Konyaaltı (4 courts, 3 roofed for shade and rain, 1 open-air) offers beginner-friendly open games and coaching, with booking via WhatsApp or the Matchpoint app.