It is a suite, a supplement to a previous article in which we were talking about knowing play our bandeja since right side while being right handed. Now let's be left-handed ou right handed posted to the left.

La bandeja is a family of volley shots after a high ball played by opponents. Unlike the smash where the player will have to make the effort to get the ball as high as possible, for the bandeja on the contrary, it will be necessary to accompany it from top to bottom. SO bandeja cut off, vibora brushed or your own stroke, let's go into detail.

If you're left-handed, just take the same information and apply it to your side on the track.

The simplest and most common

The least energy-intensive move would be the vibora. This brush stroke, performed while loosening, allows you to negotiate all high balls from the center of the track to half of the service square. Beyond that, it would be wiser to switch to smash mode. There vibora can be done with a straight trajectory or with a curve that will allow you to work at different speeds.

For bandeja, it's a bit more complicated. Certainly, it requires more physical commitment, but it allows you to have more angle because you can impact higher and especially closer to the side grid.

So if you are lucky enough to be able to master both, perfect, otherwise focus only on one shot to make it a lethal weapon.

Fernando Belasteguin bandeja Madrid Masters 2022 WPT final

A different strategy than a right-hander

On the right, we said that a right-hander had to play this or that way depending on his position. On the left it is different. Since the shots you are going to hit are on the right side of your body and the track is open in front of you and not behind you, you will have to know your possibilities and above all work on different options to adapt to the defensive skills of your opponents. day.

Know how to vary

This is the basis. In training or during quiet sessions with friends, learn the bandejas fast, slow, short bounce, long bounce, straight bounce, high spin, single pane hit, bottom pane first then the lateral one… Above all, keep in mind that the mixture of several of these creations, such as for example a bandeja slow with spin that has a long rebound that first hits the bottom pane and ends on the side, bringing you more efficiency.

As you can see, the goal is not to achieve a simple bandeja but to be able to offer several styles of blows, speeds, effects to your opponents in order to complicate their defense.

Opponent analysis

This is the last step. Imagine that your bandeja is more and more complete and that you are able to adapt the blow to the situation, it is now necessary to find the fault in the opposing defense which will allow you to attack better.

Speed

You need to know the speed at which the opponent lets the ball pass and the speed at which they block. This is very important for your net recovery.

The curve and the depth

You have to adapt the spin and the depth to find the distance and the shots that disturb, make the defense uncomfortable. Some players are comfortable in one area but not in another. Some are able to play very well after rebounding but not at all when coming out of the window or in volley from the bottom of the track. It will therefore be necessary to identify these strengths and weaknesses of your opponents.

The game area

This is probably the most important. In training you can perform bandejas that look very clean, efficient and destructive to you, but in match they are no problem.

This is where the zone change will be so important. Indeed, perhaps your opponent does not know how to turn on himself, does not like to defend angles, is very comfortable when the ball enters the side of his left foot but not on his right foot, can -be that you are less in danger when playing in the center etc.

The tactics of the game will take on much greater importance if you know how to negotiate all of this. Imagine that beyond knowing how to manage all these blows well, you are to add a vibora and a smash? So dear left-handed right-handed and left-handed right-handed friends, the bandejas and viboras are moves that, for you, must be very complete and with many variations that will allow you to adapt your tactics to the best. 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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