On the program today, the service to padel. The setting game lets you take theoffensive and therefore the stitch mastery. But if that's not the case, you're backtracking.

The important thing at padel is to start the point, when you or your partner serves, in an offensive position, attack, at the net, which will allow you to take the reins of the point and therefore have more chances of winning it. For this, service is important. 

If the opponents are able to return without any difficulty, your offense will take a hit. On the other hand, if you have a wide range of serves, you can vary, adjust to the opponents, to approach the point in the best possible conditions.

The first ball is always the best

We say it and we repeat it, padel, it is better to start the point with a first serve than with a second serve. Returners will always be more tense when returning a first serve, even if the two serves are identical. So for you, this is the very first thing to understand. If you're having a bad day and your first serve doesn't fit, slow down, play safer, at least not go to the second serve.

Jerome Inzerillo FIP Gold Perpignan Service

Tips to understand

Everyone must be able to develop their own service. It can be flat, cut, lifted, brushed, stretched, bell, reverse, by 3, in short, it's up to you to be creative. But to create, you have to understand the basics:

- the rebound : when you drop the ball, it goes down, bounces, goes up, reaches its highest point, then comes down again. The rule requires you to let bounce, but from that bounce you will have multiple moments to impact. When the ball comes up, you will have a powerful but inaccurate serve. At the top of the rebound, the ball no longer moving, you can attempt a service that will combine power and precision. Finally, when the ball comes down, you'll be in complete control.

- throw it or drop it : you can throw the ball up, palm open to the sky, down, as a tennis player would when preparing to serve, or simply drop it. Of these 3 possibilities, 2 are often used. The last which consists in dropping the ball from always the same height for an always identical rebound, and that of the throw down, for experienced players who seek to harden their service.

- the preparation of the pala : a pala placed below the level of the belt will rather offer a precise service while a high preparation will favor power and spin.

- the place of impact : a ball impacted in front of us will favor a brush effect or a bell-shaped ball. This will also allow a good accompaniment to move forward. A side-impacted ball will invite more flat, control, topspin, or cut shots with more angle.

- the reverse : using the backhand will change the effects and the entry of the ball into the glass.

Vary to better disturb

This is most definitely the key. The more different, varied services you have, the more options you will have to take the offensive against opponents.

Now that you know the tricks of the service, take some time to experiment. Last thing: in the best case, a serve must be followed towards the net, to reach your base position, from which you build the attack. But sometimes, and depending on certain matches, depending on the quality of the returners, it is better to add one or more transition ends from “no man's land”. So serving well is important, but know how to follow his service is just as important to avoid being pushed back on your return. It's your turn. 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.

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