Tactics & doubles play

Basic tactics

Padel is less about power than it is about positioning and patience. Here are the key principles and team agreements that can help prevent confusion, conflict and lost points.

Why take the net:

• at the net, you take the ball earlier and can play it down towards your opponents’ feet

• from the back of the court, you will usually hit upwards, giving your opponents an opportunity to attack

• the pair that controls the net wins most points

When to attack:

• when both you and your partner are at the net while your opponents are at the back

• when an opponent plays a short or high ball that you can attack with a smash, víbora or bajada

• when you have time and are well positioned for the shot

When to defend:

• when you are at the back and your opponents are at the net

• when the ball is deep and you do not have time to get into a good attacking position

• when you are under pressure near the back glass. In this situation, a lob is often better than trying to hit your way out with power

How to use the walls:

• the walls are your ally in defence. Let the ball come off the glass to buy yourself time

• in attack, try to play shots that make the ball leave the court after the glass or create an awkward return for your opponents

• avoid playing into the middle of the back glass when your opponents are already at the net: it will usually give them an easy ball to return

How to force errors:

• play at the feet of opponents at the net. They will have to lift the ball, giving you a chance to attack

• aim for gaps: between the two opponents, or between a player and the side glass

• vary your depth: play deep into the back corners, then shorter balls towards the feet

Who takes balls down the middle:

• agree in advance who takes balls played through the middle. Usually, the player with their forehand in the middle takes the ball — in other words, the player for whom a forehand is the more natural option

• you can use a simple rule: “middle is mine” or “middle is yours”

• if you have not agreed on it, call it during the point: “mine!” or “yours!”

Who goes for the ball at the net:

• the player with the ball on their stronger side, usually their forehand, should take it

• the other partner covers the middle and does not drift too far to the side

How to communicate your intentions:

• call out clearly: “mine!”, “lob!”, “I’m coming in!”, “I’m staying back!”

• use hand signals if you prefer: a raised hand can mean “I’m going”, while an arm held out can mean “I’m covering the middle”

• before serving, agree who will take the first ball at the net

How to stay out of each other’s way:

• do not run for a ball if you can see that your partner is already taking it

• do not stand in your partner’s path; move aside and give them space

• if you move back to cover a lob, do not stay there. Move forward again as soon as you have played the ball

Note: do not try to win every point with one shot. In padel, patience and good positioning matter more than power. Communicate with your partner and position yourself so they can read your intentions.

Exception: if you have a clear chance to finish the point — for example, a short high ball or an easy smash — attack it with confidence.

Court positions

Padel is a team game, so coordination with your partner is essential.

Basic attacking position

Ideally, both partners are at the net, around 2–3 metres away from it. This is your strongest position: you take the ball early and have more opportunities to attack.

After serving, the server should move forward to the net as quickly as possible. After returning serve, the returner should also look to take the net and level the position.

Tips:

• play short balls at your opponents’ feet, including volleys and chiquitas

• avoid high balls that allow your opponents to play a bandeja or víbora

• if your opponents play a lob, one player moves back while the other covers the middle

One player at the net, one at the back

The player at the net plays short balls and volleys, while the player at the back plays deeper balls and lobs. The player at the back should not stay there for too long: after a suitable ball, both players should look to move forward and take the net.

Tips:

• the net player plays short balls and volleys; the back player plays deeper balls and lobs

• the net player should not drift too far to the side — keep the middle covered

• if your opponents lob over the net player, that player moves back while their partner covers the middle

Moving as a pair

Move in sync. If one player moves forward to the net, the other should also move forward. If one player has to drop back — for example, to deal with a lob — the other should move back too, rather than being left alone at the net under a high ball.

Tips:

• when one player moves towards the net, the other should move forward too

• when moving laterally, the other player covers the middle

• do not leave the centre of the court open

Both players at the back

This is a defensive position. You do not control the net, so your goal is to stay in the point and look for an opportunity to regain the net.

Tips:

• play towards the back corners

• use the lob to push your opponents away from the net

• avoid hard shots into the middle or the net

• move forward to the net after a suitable ball

Against an attacking pair:

• use more lobs to push them away from the net

• do not try to overpower them. Focus on control and court position instead

• make them move: play into the corners, at their feet and change direction

Against a defensive pair:

• do not force the point unless you have a clear opportunity to attack

• play at their feet and make them lift the ball

• be patient and wait for an attackable ball, such as a short or high return

Note: the strongest position in padel is with both partners at the net. The weakest is with both players at the back, especially when the opponents already control the net.

Exception: in defence, one partner may sometimes stay at the back to play a lob or a shot off the glass while the other covers the net. This is a temporary position: aim to recover the net as soon as possible.

Common beginner mistakes

Tactical mistakes:

• not moving to the net after serving or returning serve

• trying to win the point with one hard shot from the back of the court

• playing too many high balls and giving opponents the chance to attack

• not using the lob in defence and trying to hit out of trouble with power

Positioning mistakes:

• standing too close to the net, making it easy for the ball to go over your head

• standing too far from the net and losing attacking opportunities

• leaving the middle of the court open when moving sideways

Communication mistakes:

• both players go for the same ball down the middle and collide

• neither player goes for the ball because each expects their partner to take it

• not agreeing on who covers balls at the net and who covers the back of the court

Note: most beginner mistakes come from positioning and tactics, not from stroke technique.

Exception: it is normal to make technical mistakes at first — they improve with practice. But it is best to address tactical and positioning errors early, before they become bad habits.