Let's talk team up today with a very important aspect to the padel : know how to move together for cover a maximum ofspace on runway.

Let's focus on the trips to adopt not when you play but on the contrary, when you do not play. The idea is actually to accompany your partner so that you do not find yourself in an uncomfortable situation the next shot, but on the contrary so that you are ready to counter or finish the point.

The tactical basis

This is certainly the basis for being able to accompany your partner. If he plays as he sees fit, with no correct and tactically clean play orientation, no matter how much you try to accompany him, you will be on the wrong side most of the time. So first of all, play them correct areas which will allow you to avoid putting your team in difficulty. But that's another subject.

At the bottom of the track

First let's talk width. Tell yourself that the space between you and your partner should always be the same. So if it is close to the side window, you will have to get closer to the T. Conversely if it is closer to the T, you will go more towards the side window.

What happens if your partner has to defend close to the back window or in the corner? If you also step back, you allow opponents to play a wide variety of shots: the cushioning, the powerful volley or the smash, balls to the grid, in short, balls that will be far from the back glass. So as a good partner you will need to be ready by stepping slightly in front of the service line. You are therefore no longer at the same height as your partner but in front of him.

The climbs to the net

They can be done after a lob, after being put under pressure following a forehand or a backhand, but also and above all, after leaving the window. You must accompany your partner by giving him a head start. That is to say that he is the one who launches the counter-attack, so he is in front and you accompany him to put the pressure on, but also to return to defend if necessary. Logic would dictate that the first volley goes to your partner because he thought of his rise for him, so you are a support so that he does not find himself alone with an uncomfortable first shot to play at the net.

Returns to the bottom

We will mainly talk about lob. After your opponents lob your partner, you can't stand still at the net because you don't know what shot he's going to make. A lob, a bajada, a simple window exit... and above all you don't know if his intentions are to return to the net or not. So accompany him, but up to the line, so you can communicate to him the position of the opponents, go back to defense if necessary, and accompany him forward if he decides to put the pressure back on.

The volleys 

We will speak here only of lateral movements because the accompaniment towards the net or the movement slightly behind the net will be done rather individually. 

The first thing would be, as in defense, to fill the free space by getting closer to the center when your partner has to play a ball by stretching close to the glass.

The second thing would be to place yourself according to the zone where your partner is playing. Ball in the center, don't worry, if he plays along the line, you will come to cover the center, and if he plays in his diagonal, you will cover along the line.

This is why beginner players are asked to play simple zones, often diagonally or in the center, to avoid the opening of the track because of a partner who does not follow.

Moving in pairs is very important both in defense and in attack to organize the point well. The more the speed of play and the level of play increase, the more you must improve your vision, your placements, to best support your partner. Remember that we are not all high level players and that opening the track, both in attack and in defense, can have serious consequences if our partner does not follow us. Let's go!

Julien Bondia

Julien Bondia is a teacher of padel in Tenerife (Spain). Columnist and advisor, he helps you play better through his tutorials and tactical/technical articles padel.

On the same subject

Tags