You think to be positioned at the net means duty attack at all costs, regardless of the position? Let us guide you so that your tactic à la volée or, perfect.

Reaching the net may seem quite simple, but the most complicated thing is to stay there until the point falls into our hands. Getting lobbed or countered happens so quickly that a few tips for maintaining the net would be welcome, right?

So here is the context. You are at the net and you have just played a volley or a bandeja ; the point continues, you win it, well done. But if on the contrary you are countered, sent back to the bottom or put under pressure without any means of reaction without you understanding why there is a problem. Assuming that our position at the net can evolve, here are three keys that could help you.

"It's good I'm going!"

This is what everyone wants and manages to do quite easily. You have just made a bandeja or a volley that bounces off your opponents' back glass, and you feel it's not that easy for them to negotiate. Come a little closer to the net, not glued, but slightly in front of the position you are used to in order to shorten the travel time of the ball and thus put a little more pressure, which may allow you to then finish.

No hurry

These will be the most balls you will have to negotiate especially with the volley. You are in your net zone and the balls you play are “normal”. You work the balls, these do not allow the opponents to go on the attack but they are not at bay either. They make you volley, play high balls, but you never have the opportunity to try anything. So you wait. You keep the same position, you play simple so as not to give any counter-attack options, and wait for the moment when you can say “it's good I'm going”.

backhand volley Miguel Semmler padel arena

"It does not smell good !"

Here you realize that either your volley or your bandeja is not played well. A bad zone or a rebound too high will allow opponents to attack you with a lob, a chiquita, a fast ball to the body, you will understand, impossible to know in advance. The concern is that if you stay in the same place or come forward, you are at high risk of being cheated because the angles and the percentage of free/covered track will be unfavorable to you. So, after taking this information, take a step back, no more, which will allow you to reach most of the balls, to negotiate them better, and surely not to lose the net because this is where we want to stay to win the point.

This is an important game tactic but not easy to master for beginner players. Important because it asks you to pay attention to your blows as well as to those of your partner. If you follow good balls, stay in position when nothing is clear, and step back when you don't like your shot, your padel at the net will evolve, and fast. 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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