Padel Shots Explained
Padel Guide: How to Play · Shots Explained · Glossary
Every padel shot, what it's for, and the key to hitting it. Shots are grouped by where you are on court: at the back, at the net, or overhead.
Starting the point
Serve (saque)
What: an underarm shot, hit after one bounce, diagonally into the opponent's service box.
When: the first shot of every point.
Key: aim for consistency over power. Serve deep towards the glass or into the corner where the side and back glass meet (the T at the back), then follow it in to the net.
▶ Watch: How to play the perfect padel serve
Return of serve (resto)
What: your reply to the serve. It must bounce first.
When: every point you're receiving.
Key: keep it low at the server's feet as they move forward, or lob over them. Don't go for winners.
From the back of the court
Forehand (drive) and backhand (reves)
What: the basic groundstrokes, hit after the ball bounces.
When: any ball that bounces before it reaches the glass, or after it comes off the glass.
Key: short backswing, racket head up, contact in front of you. Use slice (backspin) to keep the ball low after it bounces on the other side.
Back wall shot (salida de pared)
What: letting the ball bounce and come off the back glass, then hitting it as it comes back to you.
When: any deep ball you can't comfortably reach before the glass.
Key: turn side-on early and move with the ball away from the glass. Hit it as it drops, usually with a lob or a low shot to the opponents' feet.
Side wall shot (salida de lateral)
What: playing the ball after it bounces and rebounds off the side glass.
When: wide angled balls.
Key: step away from the wall to give yourself room. The ball comes off at roughly the same angle it went in.
Double wall (doble pared)
What: the ball hits two walls (back then side, or side then back) before you play it.
When: balls into the back corners.
Key: be patient. Read where the second wall sends it, then step in. Hard at first, but it becomes natural with practice.
Contrapared (back-wall boast)
What: hitting the ball into your own back or side glass so it rebounds over the net.
When: a last-resort defensive shot when the ball has got past you.
Key: hit up into the glass hard enough to carry the net. It's a survival shot, not an attacking one.
Lob (globo)
What: a high, deep shot over the net players' heads.
When: whenever your opponents are at the net and you need to take it back. The most important shot in padel.
Key: aim to land it deep, close to their back glass, so they can't smash it. Lobbing to the backhand side corner is usually safest.
▶ Watch: The padel lob, the most important shot
Chiquita
What: a soft, low shot that drops at the feet of the net players.
When: to force a weak upward volley so your team can move forward.
Key: touch, not power. Aim just over the net and into the middle.
Bajada (attacking off the glass)
What: an aggressive overhead-style shot hit at height after the ball bounces high off the back glass.
When: when a lob or smash comes off the glass high and slow.
Key: let it come off the glass, turn sideways and hit through it. It turns defence into attack.
At the net
Volley (volea)
What: hitting the ball before it bounces, forehand or backhand.
When: whenever you're at the net.
Key: no swing. Firm wrist, racket head up, punch the ball deep. Aim for the middle or the feet, not the glass.
▶ Watch: 6 tips to volley like a pro
Block volley (bloqueo)
What: a short, stopped volley that absorbs pace.
When: a hard ball hit straight at you.
Key: just hold the racket in front of you and let the ball rebound. Soft hands.
Drop shot (dejada)
What: a soft shot that dies just over the net.
When: when opponents are deep behind the service line or pinned at the glass.
Key: disguise it. Use backspin and aim so it bounces twice before they can reach it.
Overheads
Bandeja
What: a controlled sliced overhead ("tray" in Spanish) hit at shoulder-to-head height.
When: to answer a lob while keeping your net position. The most used overhead in padel.
Key: side-on, racket face slightly open, slice through the ball and aim deep so it sits low after the glass. Control, not power.
▶ Watch: Understanding the bandeja
Vibora
What: a more aggressive overhead with heavy sidespin and slice ("viper").
When: to put pressure on opponents from mid-court, usually aimed into the side glass.
Key: contact the ball slightly to the side, brushing across it fast. The ball skids low off the side wall.
▶ Watch: Understanding the vibora
Gancho (hook)
What: a quick, wristy overhead hit from beside the head, usually by the left-side player.
When: a lob near the left side wall that you can't hit as a bandeja.
Key: turn your back almost to the net and brush the ball diagonally into the side mesh.
Flat smash (remate plano)
What: a hard, flat overhead aimed at the ground or the opponents.
When: a short, easy lob close to the net.
Key: don't just hit it hard. Aim at the feet or the gap, or it bounces off the glass and comes back.
Kick smash (rulo)
What: a smash with heavy topspin so the ball bounces high off the back glass, out of reach.
When: a lob landing around the service line.
Key: brush up and over the ball, like a tennis kick serve. The ball can come back to your side of the net or go out over the side.
Por tres (x3)
What: a smash hit so it bounces, hits the back glass and exits the court over the 3m side wall.
When: a lob landing near the net, in the middle of the court.
Key: hit up high and angle it towards the side, so the ball comes off the back glass and out the side. It's a winner unless opponents run outside to retrieve it.
▶ Watch: Understanding the smash x3 (por tres)
Por cuatro (x4)
What: a flat smash hit downwards from very close to the net so the ball bounces out over the 4m back wall.
When: a short lob or high ball right at the net.
Key: use your wrist and forearm to hit steeply into the ground just inside the opponents' service box.
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