Not everyone benefits from dream infrastructure with covered pitches to be able to hit the ball in good conditions. Sometimes you have to think outside the box to brave wet terrain. What strategies should be adopted to gain the advantage over the opposing team?

Analyze and understand

There are a number of factors that must first be taken into account that will influence a style of play that will differ from dry pitches.

The balls gradually will soak up water and become heavier and heavier. It will therefore be essential to hit the ball in the center of the racket so as not to lose the advantage. In addition, it will be much more lively with a lower rebound, so anticipation will be the key to succeeding in gaining the upper hand over the opposing team.

Wet grounds are slippery and do not allow strong support. Tennis players playing on clay will surely have more facilities to move around. Be careful, beware of falling, it is better not to try to get the ball at the end of the race, it is better to lose a point rather than an entire season due to a bad slide.

The style of play with the windows will be completely different, since the ball being impregnated with water it will not have the same physical properties when it hits the window. The game with the glass is therefore to be avoided or rather to be used wisely.

Tactics and attack

The three fundamental elements of padel are the ball, the racket and the court will be impacted by water. How to achieve a winning strategy when playing on wet grounds?

There is a tactical-mental preparation to keep in mind from the first to the last point when playing on wet ground. It is about implementing all its physical abilities (by being lower on the supports and playing more aggressively) to be able to dominate the rally. As the balls are heavier and faster, the whole game will be sped up, and the pair that takes the advantage on their own will be the one that is the most physically aggressive.

Play in free space to make his opponents run is also important so that they offer a favorable attacking ball. Playing more aggressively than usual is certainly one of the key points in leading and controlling the rally. It is therefore almost imperative to maintain a position at the net as long as possible to build up the pressure.

Play in the corners and near the windows to make it possible to hinder the opponents, the ball being heavier, faster and rebounding differently on the glass, this will allow you to have shots to exploit to complete the exchange.

As you can see, playing in the rain is less fun and can even be compared to a whole other sport but you have to take into account the physical elements of nature to adapt to the new conditions!

Alexandre Cifuentes

Alexandre Cifuentes studies economics. He decided to intervene on the business of padel and in the sports market in general. It allows us to know about the padel in its entirety.

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