Match Practice: The Most Effective and Common Shots on the Padel Court

Padel and tennis are similar in many respects. The strokes are also comparable, although they are not technically identical due to the different designs of the rackets. Nevertheless, the forehand and backhand are the basic strokes. In padel, they are generally played with a slicing motion, which puts backspin on the ball. Topspin shots, which dominate modern tennis, are not possible in padel because of the design of padel rackets. It is virtually impossible to put forward spin on a padel ball. As for the grip, similar grip variations to those used in tennis are also the most popular in padel. Most players use a kind of “continental grip” for the forehand, in which the palm of the hand grips the handle vertically and then wraps around it with the fingers. For the slice shot commonly used on the backhand side in padel, a slightly modified version of the one-handed tennis backhand grip is recommended. The striking hand wraps around the racket handle from slightly above, so that the racket face is slightly open when the arm is extended to the side.

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The Basics: Serve & Return in Padel

Unlike in tennis, the serve in padel is performed from below. The server lets the ball bounce once on the court and then hits it with a forehand over the net into the diagonally opposite service box. Good servers try to place the ball so that it lands very close to the glass wall in the far corner of the service box, which makes returning it extremely difficult. Another variation is the serve "down the middle" towards the center line of the service box, to surprise the returner.
As a classic return, experienced padel players prefer a hard-hit cross-court ball that flies as low as possible over the net. This is difficult to play both as a volley and as a conventional shot with one bounce of the ball. The other, frequently used return variation is a well-paced lob that bounces as close as possible to the back glass wall.

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Aggressive point hunting: Volley at the net

Experienced padel teams try to take the net position together as often as possible during a rally. This is where they play lethal volleys to secure the point. Volleys are played using the same stroke motion as in tennis. For both forehand and backhand shots, the hitting arm makes a short forward and downward movement to place the ball quickly and at an angle in the opponent's court, leaving them with no chance to return it.

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The Dynamic Lob Return: The Topspin Lob

In padel, there is essentially only one type of shot that leads to an immediate, irrevocable point: a powerfully hit smash, driven into the court at such an angle that it bounces over the back glass wall and out of play. Smashes with a shallower angle are not necessarily immediate winners, because experienced players can let them bounce off the glass wall and try to retrieve the ball as it rebounds off the wall, aiming to get it past the net and into the opponent's court. Unlike tennis, where a smash or overhead shot is usually always hit with full force, padel has several variations of the smash (which will be examined in more detail under "special shots").

The Gentle Weapon: Praise

Lobs play an outstandingly important role in padel. Hit close to the back glass, they make it very difficult for the opposing pair to return effectively. Furthermore, a lob buys enough time to move up to the net and get into position for a winning volley or smash. In principle, lobs can be used from any situation with either the forehand or backhand to change the pace and put the opponents in a difficult situation. However, if executed incorrectly—that is, if it is not hit high and deep enough—the lob also carries the risk of conceding an immediate, devastating smash.

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Padel Technique for Advanced Players: The Specialty Shots

In padel, there are several special shots that can put the opposing team under extreme pressure without requiring excessive speed or power. Here are the most important ones:

Bandeja: A variation of the overhead shot, but one that is hit much lower and from the side of the head. The side-on movement and long swing give the ball a lot of spin, making it even harder to return in control. It is equally suitable as an aggressive, fast response to a lob and as a defensive shot played on the run.

Chiquita: This low shot can be played with either the forehand or backhand. The chiquita bounces as short as possible just behind the net and ideally drops at the opponent's feet. This forces them to lift it over the net or hit it deep into the court at a steep angle.

Gancho: A gancho is a defensively played overhead shot. The ball is struck above the head but with very little swing. The goal is to place the gancho close to the net or the side wall, allowing your team time to reposition on the court.

Vibaro: The vibaro is also an overhead variation. The ball is struck from the side above the head and given a lot of side spin with an extreme slicing motion. The ideal placement is in one of the corners of the court, where the extreme slice causes it to bounce very awkwardly off the side wall.

Author: Christian Bonk

Padel racket for beginners:

Frequently asked questions

Padel distinguishes between basic shots – forehand, backhand, serve, return, volley, lob, and smash – and advanced special shots such as the bandeja, chiquita, gancho, and víbora. The basic shots form the technical foundation, while the special shots are primarily used at the net and for overhead shots.
Unlike in tennis, the serve in padel is performed from below: The ball must first bounce on the ground and is then hit with the forehand into the diagonally opposite service box. The goal is usually a placement close to the glass wall in the far corner of the court, to make the return more difficult.
Due to the design of the padel racket – solid and without strings – it is difficult to impart forward spin to the ball. That is why groundstrokes in padel are predominantly played as slices with backspin instead of topspin.
A hard, well-angled serve that bounces over the back glass wall and out of the court is considered the only shot that immediately and irrevocably wins the point. Serves with a flatter angle, by contrast, are often still returnable because they bounce off the wall and can be intercepted by the opponent at the net.
The bandeja is hit low and to the side of the head and is suitable both as a quick, aggressive response to a lob and as a defensive shot on the move. The vibora, on the other hand, is hit to the side above the head and given an extreme slicing motion with heavy sidespin, causing the ball – ideally placed in a corner of the court – to bounce off the racket face in a particularly awkward way.