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Strategy & Tactics

Padel is a game of position, patience, and timing. Power is secondary to placement.

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PositioningNet PlayThe LobUsing the WallsKey ShotsDoubles Communication
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Positioning

Padel has two zones: the net and the back. The team at the net controls the point. The team at the back is defending. Everything in padel strategy revolves around getting to the net and keeping your opponents back.

The Golden Rule

Move together. Both partners should be at the net or both at the back. Never one up, one back — it creates a gap in the middle that opponents will exploit immediately.

Think of it like a wall: You and your partner form a defensive or offensive line. If one person is at the net and the other at the back, there's a 5-metre gap between you. That gap is where you lose points.

Net Play

The net is where you win points in padel. Standing 1-2 metres from the net gives you angles to volley into, puts pressure on opponents, and forces them into difficult returns off the back wall.

How to Get to the Net

  • Hit a deep, slow ball that pushes opponents back
  • Hit a low ball that forces opponents to hit up — giving you a volley opportunity
  • Follow your lob forward — when opponents retreat to play the lob, advance
  • After the return of serve, the serving team should look to move forward

Staying at the Net

Once there, stay low, keep your racket up, and be ready to react. Volleys should be firm and directed at opponents' feet or into open space. Don't overhit — control keeps you in position.

The Lob

The lob is the most important shot in padel. It's how you move opponents away from the net, buy time to reposition, and create opportunities to advance.

When to Lob

  • When opponents are tight to the net — send them back
  • When you're under pressure and need time
  • To switch the point from defence to attack
  • When the sun or wind can make the ball difficult to track (outdoor courts)

Types of Lob

  • Defensive lob: High and deep, buying maximum time. Aim for the back wall.
  • Attacking lob: Lower trajectory, harder to read. Can catch opponents off guard.
  • Topspin lob: Advanced technique. The spin makes the ball kick off the back wall unpredictably.

Using the Walls

The walls change everything. In tennis, a ball past you is a lost point. In padel, it might bounce off the back wall and give you another chance.

Back Wall Returns

Let the ball go past you, wait for it to bounce off the wall, then play it forward. The key is patience — turn sideways, watch the ball hit the wall, position yourself, and swing through.

Side Wall Play

Balls that hit the side wall after bouncing will change direction. Reading this angle takes practice, but it opens up return options that don't exist in any other racket sport.

The "boast": An advanced technique where you deliberately hit the ball into your own side wall to send it over the net at an unexpected angle. Risky but effective when it works.

Key Shots

ShotWhat It IsWhen to Use
BandejaOverhead slice hit from above the shoulderTo maintain net position while returning a lob
VíboraAggressive overhead with sidespinTo win the point from an overhead position
ChiquitaSoft, low shot at the net player's feetTo approach the net or force a weak volley
BajadaAttacking shot off the back wallWhen a lob bounces high off the back wall
GloboDefensive lobTo push opponents back from the net
SmashFull-power overheadTo end the point — aim for the back wall to send it out

Doubles Communication

Padel is always doubles, and the best teams communicate constantly. Here's the minimum:

  • "Yours" / "Mine" — call every ball in the middle immediately
  • "Up" / "Net" — signal to your partner that you're moving forward
  • "Back" — signal that you're retreating (both should retreat together)
  • "Switch" — when you've been pulled out of position and need to swap sides

The middle ball is where most doubles confusion happens. The general rule: the player whose forehand covers the middle takes it. But agree on this with your partner beforehand.