For a padel match lasting about an hour and a half, plan to drink an average of one liter of liquid in small sips, taking advantage of every change of ends. Water is enough in most cases, and electrolytes become useful when the match goes on for a long time, when it's hot, or when you sweat heavily. Padel is booming in Belgium, courts fill up in the evenings and on weekends, and hydration is often the detail we forget between two bookings. Here are some practical guidelines for managing your bottle properly, from the changing room to the post-match beer.
Updated September 30, 2026
How much should you drink during a padel match?
During a padel match, aim for about 120 to 200 ml every 15 to 20 minutes, or roughly one liter for a 90-minute game, adjusting according to the heat and how much you sweat. In practical terms, that means two or three good sips at each change of ends, during the 90-second break provided for in the rules after each odd-numbered game.
These figures are averages. In sports, sweat loss commonly ranges from 0.5 to more than 1.5 liters per hour, depending on the person, intensity, and temperature. The only way to find out your own needs is to weigh yourself before and after a game: we explain the method in detail in our article on sweat rate and the weighing test.
Why do you sweat so much in padel?
You sweat a lot in padel because it's a sport involving short, repeated efforts, with sprints, changes of direction, and rallies that follow one another without any real downtime, often in indoor halls where air circulation is limited. Glass-walled courts and halls heated in winter or poorly ventilated in summer make the perceived temperature rise.
There is also a padel-specific trap: the atmosphere. You play with friends, laugh, start a second match because the court is free, and don't realize you've been sweating for two hours. With the number of courts more than tripling in five years in Wallonia and Brussels, according to DH, many players are beginners and don't yet have the habits of endurance athletes.
What should you drink before a padel match?
Before a padel match, water is enough: the American College of Sports Medicine recommends drinking around 5 to 7 ml per kilogram of body weight in the four hours before exercise, roughly one or two large glasses for a 70-kilogram adult. The idea is to arrive on court well hydrated, without your stomach sloshing.
The simplest guide: the colour of your urine
Pale yellow urine before leaving for the club is a good sign. If it's dark, drink an extra glass in the hour before the match rather than gulping down half a litre just before the first serve.
What about caffeine?
Many players have a coffee or a can of soda before playing. If that's you, think about the timing: for a match at 9 p.m., a caffeinated drink taken at 8 p.m. remains active for a good part of the night. Caffeine counts towards your daily total, which EFSA caps at 400 mg for a healthy adult.
During the match: water or an electrolyte drink?
For a one-hour match in a temperate indoor hall, water remains the best choice and is more than enough; an electrolyte drink becomes useful after more than an hour of play, in hot conditions, or if you sweat heavily. Sweat mainly contains sodium, on average around one gram per litre, with considerable differences from one person to another. When you lose one to two litres of sweat, replacing some of that sodium in addition to water makes sense.
That doesn't mean you need a very sugary sports drink for a game with friends. If you're hesitating between several bottles in the club fridge, compare their sodium and sugar content: an independent comparison tool like drinkscore, which publishes the composition of sports and hydration drinks, gives you the figures you need to decide for yourself. To understand everything about the topic, our guide to electrolyte drinks and when to use them covers the subject in full.
The Buddy option in your padel bag
The 500 ml Buddy Hydration drink, made with coconut juice, provides 252 mg of sodium, 300 mg of potassium, and 56 mg of magnesium, in Peach, Raspberry Hibiscus, or Lemon Lime. You can find it in the Buddy hydration collection. If you prefer to keep using your water bottle, Buddy sugar-free electrolyte sticks, with potassium, magnesium, and sea salt, fit easily into your bag pocket and can be poured into your bottle when the match runs long.
Hydration guidelines according to your padel match
Your hydration needs during padel depend mainly on three things: the duration of play, the court temperature, and how much you sweat. This table summarizes the guidelines to keep in mind.
| Situation | Indicative amount during play | What to drink |
|---|---|---|
| 1-hour match, temperate indoor court | about 0.5 to 0.75 l | Water |
| 1.5-hour match, moderate intensity | about 1 l | Water, electrolytes if you sweat a lot |
| Two consecutive matches or a tournament | 1.5 l or more, spread over the duration | Water and an electrolyte drink |
| Outdoor court in midsummer | up to 1 l per hour | Cool water and electrolytes |
| Evening match in winter | about 0.5 l per hour | Water, even if you are less thirsty |
These figures are rough guidelines for an adult. Your own weigh-in test remains the best reference.
What should you drink after a padel match?
After a padel match, drink around 1.25 to 1.5 liters for every kilogram lost during the match, as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine, spreading this intake over the following two or three hours. If you did not weigh yourself, rely on your thirst and the color of your urine.
A salty meal or a drink containing a little sodium helps your body retain the water you drink instead of eliminating it immediately. And when it comes to drinks at the club bar, keep in mind that alcohol does not help you rehydrate: alternate it with a glass of water. We cover all the options in our guide what to drink after sport to recover properly.
The 5 most common hydration mistakes in padel
The most common hydration mistakes in padel are arriving already thirsty, forgetting to drink when changing sides, drinking everything at once at the end, underestimating the heat indoors, and relying solely on thirst during long matches.
1. Arrive at the club already dehydrated
A day at the office with two coffees and little water, followed by a match at 8 p.m.: you start the match already dehydrated. A glass of water in the late afternoon already makes a big difference.
2. Leaving your bottle in your bag
Put your bottle against the glass, within easy reach. If you have to rummage through your bag during every break, you will eventually skip a few sips.
3. Drinking everything at the end
Drinking a liter all at once after the match is less effective than drinking small amounts regularly, and more uncomfortable for your stomach.
4. Underestimating indoor courts
No sun does not mean no heat. A poorly ventilated indoor court in September can be more challenging than a shaded outdoor court.
5. Drinking too much water without sodium during a tournament
Over a full day of tournaments, drinking large amounts of plain water without eating anything salty is not ideal. Alternate water, electrolyte drinks, and snacks.
Frequently asked questions about hydration for padel
How much water should I drink during a padel match?
Allow about one liter for a 90-minute match, taken in small sips of 120 to 200 ml every 15 to 20 minutes, at each change of ends.
Is water enough for playing padel?
Yes, for a one-hour match in normal conditions, water is enough. An electrolyte drink becomes useful beyond one hour, in hot weather, or if you sweat heavily.
When should I take electrolytes for padel?
Take electrolytes during long matches, tournaments, matches in midsummer, or in a very hot indoor court, and after the match if you have sweated heavily.
What should I drink after a padel match?
After a padel match, drink about 1.25 to 1.5 liters per kilogram lost, spread over two to three hours, ideally with some sodium from a meal or an electrolyte drink.
Why do I get cramps when playing padel?
Padel cramps often have several causes at once, especially muscle fatigue and unusually intense exertion, sometimes combined with heavy sweating. Staying well hydrated is a good habit, but it is not a guarantee on its own.
In summary
In padel, hydration comes down to three actions: arrive hydrated, take a few sips at every change of ends, and rehydrate after the match. Water does the job most of the time. Just keep an electrolyte solution in your bag for long evenings, tournaments, and stuffy indoor courts.
