Let's take what the champions do and adapt it to our level of amateur player. A tactic that will save you from often uncomfortable situations.

Here is the situation. A situation that must have certainly happened to you during a match of padel. You are posted at the back of the track, in defense, and you find yourself playing a ball in the center, in front of you, at the level of the line which separates the 2 service squares. You play however you think is best for the situation, but unfortunately you lose the point each time.

First option: where to play?

When you have to move forward, get out of your defensive position, to play this type of ball, you must above all think about taking time to get back, but also and above all, do not open the angles at risk of being punished.

The lob is definitely a good option, but it is not easy to achieve, because if you do not have a good technique, you risk getting punished quickly. If you're lucky enough to be specific, look for the stretched lob in the center. Aim for the center to avoid the foul, and tight to give opponents less time to land a powerful smash or a bandeja precise.

The other option would be to look for a ball in the middle, volleying the player on your diagonal. Why play in the center? Because playing to the sides would open up the angles and allow your opponents to finish the point easily, without forcing. And if there's one thing we don't want, it's for the opponents to win the point effortlessly.

Second option: placement

When you move towards the center of the court to play a ball that is between the two service squares, you are exposed and vulnerable. The idea is therefore to quickly recover your defensive position. How ? Instead of going back to your original position, stand in front of that position, in front of the service line. So you block the angle and prevent the ball from sliding around the angle for a hard-to-defend bounce.

Let's go back to the beginning of the situation, when your opponents play a short ball. This forces the player on your diagonal to play a volley from the center, and his instinct is to play towards the corner where you are not, ie towards the outside of the court. But this area is not natural for him/her and therefore more difficult to reach. It is possible that his volley is less precise, or even a fault. That is why, moving back not behind the line, but in front of the service line, you can perform a defensive volley that will allow you not to lose the point, to avoid a difficult situation with a rebound that is difficult to anticipate and especially not to disturb your partner by changing the diagonal.

The volley is used not only in attack, but also from the baseline to block angles. However, it is important to note that volleying from a great distance from the net will usually not be a winner. Rather, it will allow you to protect yourself from an uncomfortable situation. Other volleys from that same area, moving forward this time, may be more offensive, but that's another topic. 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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