When we think about the game of Arturo Coello Certain shots immediately come to mind: the smash, the volley, the block… but also this  bajada , this powerfully struck glass drop that flies close to the net and often leaves very little time for the opponents.

For many observers, it's even one of his most impressive shots. Yet, the world number 1 himself doesn't consider it one of his main strengths.

A move he had to develop

Coello explains that this bajada was not always natural for him.

"It's a resource I had to develop."

His height doesn't necessarily help him when he has to play certain low balls after the glass. Over the years, he has therefore had to work on this shot and find solutions, especially against defenders capable of returning a lot of balls.

He cites in particular  Fede Chingotto , which he had to face by finding new alternatives:

"With Chingo, there was no way to get past him. Over time, I perfected that move."

For Coello, a bajada sometimes means that the point was constructed incorrectly

His analysis is actually quite interesting from a tactical point of view.

For him, having to play a big window descent can sometimes be a sign that  his previous volley wasn't good enough .

"When I have to hit that ball, it can also mean that I was a little out of position on the court, or that my previous volley wasn't good."

In other words, where the public often sees a spectacular move, Coello mainly analyzes what happened just before.

If the opponent has managed to push him back behind the line and force him to play behind the glass, it is sometimes because he has not closed the point at the net well enough.

"I don't think that's the best part of my game."

The Spaniard is therefore quite clear:

"I don't think that's the best part of my game."

He acknowledges, however, that the bajada remains  a very good resource in certain situations , especially when used occasionally and at the right time.

And perhaps that's precisely what makes it so dangerous.

Coello does not use it systematically, but when he finds the right ball, his power and the speed of his stroke allow him to send a down-the-glass shot that is extremely difficult to defend.

Smash, volley, block… Coello has other weapons

If the bajada While visually impressive, the world number 1 obviously has many other strengths.

 Smash His ability to block at very high speed, his volleying quality and above all his overall power remain among the foundations of his game.

Coello himself admits to having difficulty precisely identifying his best move.

But one thing is certain: even when he talks about a weapon that he does not consider to be one of its main qualities, the level remains exceptional.

And perhaps that best sums up Arturo Coello's game:  A shot considered secondary by the world number 1 could easily be the strongest shot for many other players. 

Benjamin Dupouy

I discovered padel directly during a tournament, and frankly, I didn't really like it at first. But the second time, it was love at first sight, and since then, I haven't missed a single match. I'm even ready to stay up until 3am to watch a final of Premier Padel !

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