It is certainly one dreams most of players padel : get the ball out by 3. Let's enter the detail to help you shine on the track with this shot spectacular.

In a previous article we gave you as many keys as possible to understand how to correctly impact a smash. Today we push the technique a little further to help you get the ball out of the field, above the side gate rising 3 meters.

First step: the flat smash

Whether you are right-handed or left-handed, it's the same thing. A right-hander on the left or a left-hander on the right will have to act in the same way. The first thing to understand is the place of impact. If it is above your head, in front of you, you can look for a flat smash. The error would be to put the effect in this shot there which would cancel all the effectiveness of the smash. So the idea will be, whatever your initial preparation, to make your pala have a trajectory from top to bottom, with an end of gesture which will end under the non-dominant arm. 

It's probably one of the easiest shots to make because you're close to the net, the ball is high in front of you, and you have to knock it down. But, what we are looking for is to get the ball out by 3. And for that, we will have to aim straight. 

First of all, it will be necessary to privilege control over power. First, a shallow bounce to the center of the service box will be perfect. Then comes the rebound on the bottom pane. The angle will be important to get the ball out but above all the height. Try to bounce the ball in the last 50cm from the top of the glass, if possible between the middle of glass 1 and 2 bottom. With the quality of the materials used in your palas today, it should come out quite easily, without forcing too much, as long as all the phases are respected.

Second step: the topspin or “kicked” smash

It is no longer the same. We enter the big leagues. Here the ball will no longer be impacted in front but slightly behind our head, above our non-dominant shoulder. The first steps we will take will be backwards and we will have to get the ball out upwards if we want to eject it from the 20×10. 

Tennis players may encounter difficulties because during their services they are used to giving this effect of course, but to bring the ball down while here you will have to hit to "squirt the ball" up then apply a down finish.

An exercise that you can perform for yourself consists of posting yourself off the track, less than two meters away, and performing a spike while trying to pass the ball over the grid.

The perfect gesture would therefore be to prepare your pala in a high position, then lower the racquet head behind your back to bring it up quickly, whip the ball upwards, and finish your gesture not under the non-dominant arm as during the smash flat, but on the dominant side. Why ? Because that's where you want the ball to go.

The rebound will be deeper, at the height of the line, and here don't think about the height on the glass; it's your lift or kick that will allow the ball to squirt, pick up speed when exiting the window, and therefore go up. If the angle is good, and you impact towards the seal located between the bottom panes 1 and 2, it should come out. But really be careful not to force it too much.

Elements that favor a good par 3

In addition to practicing good impact, having a fluid, relaxed gesture, you can take advantage of other elements:

– the palace: a rather rigid, diamond-shaped pala will help you immensely.

– the balls: new balls will take more spin, will generate more rebound, and will respond better to big hits.

- weather : the heat and the altitude are favorable to fast play.

– lob height : your opponents can also help you get the ball better. Perfect lobs will allow you to position yourself correctly and therefore have a better impact. Tense and fast lobs will be favorable to other types of shots.

A par 3 is great and spectacular. This allows you to earn points quite easily especially if you play on tracks that do not allow track exits. But on the other hand, as soon as you have to impact the ball slightly behind you, you will have to make your technique speak or you will be punished. But with work it can be done. 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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