adidas Match Padel Racket 2026: Match Light

The standard adidas Match is listed at 360 to 375 g, the lighter RX Series Light is a rounder alternative, and last season's Match 3.4 was the same weight. The Light version is listed lighter, at 345 to 360 g, by adidas Ireland, Tennis Nuts and Padelmarket. That 15 g matters more than it sounds on a racket aimed at people who have not built their arm up yet. A lighter frame is easier to get into position, and it is kinder to an elbow in the first month.

Everything else lines up: a fibreglass face, a Soft Performance core, a shape between round and diamond. So the choice is mostly about you. Lighter and smaller players, juniors stepping up and anyone coming back from an injury should start with the Light. A tall, strong player who wants a touch more stability behind the ball can take the standard.

Retailer listings contradict one another on the Match Light. Tennis Nuts lists a low balance, Padelshop and Decathlon medium, and Padelmarket and the All For Padel sheet slightly head-heavy. adidas calls the shape a hybrid between round and diamond, All For Padel calls it all-round, and Padelmarket lists a teardrop. The All For Padel sheet also gives 360 to 375 g where the others say 345 to 360 g. Tennis Nuts adds that any racket can vary by about 10 g either way.

We have not found a balance point in millimetres from adidas, and we will not make one up. What every source agrees on is the part that matters to a beginner: a fibreglass face, a soft core and forgiving, easy-to-control behaviour. Padelful's only review in the family, of the standard Match Black, scores it 5.9 overall with control, 6.3, as its best number.

Soft is the word. A fibreglass face on a Soft Performance core gives you a bit of cushioning and a lot of margin; the ball comes off slowly, which is what you want when you are learning to place it. Padelful describes the Match as control-oriented with a slight attacking streak and says defensive shots are easy.

Power is what you give up. The scores for power and rebound sit at 5.9 and 5.4, which is by design. You will not be hitting 100 km/h smashes with it, and for your first fifty hours you do not need to.

You will outgrow it. Players who already rally cleanly, who attack the net or who want a livelier face will find the Match soft to the point of dull within a season. Move up to a carbon racket then; our intermediate padel racket page lists the next step.

A racket is not a kit. Fit a racket protector because beginners hit the glass more than anyone, and add the adidas overgrip 3-pack so you can keep a dry handle; the padel grips page covers the rest. Pick up a tube of adidas Speed RX balls and read our padel balls guide. Then padel shoes, because trainers slide on sand.

Not sure you have the right racket? The beginner padel racket page compares the lot, our guide to choosing a padel racket explains the shapes, and the full padel racket range is a click away. On a tight budget, the cheap padel racket page has the best-value picks.