Padel · Guide
Padel shots: bandeja, víbora, bajada and more
Padel has shots tennis does not, mostly because of the walls. The key ones are the overheads that keep you at the net, and the shots played off the back glass.
At the net
- Volley
- Taking the ball before it bounces. At the net, aim deep or at the opponents' feet rather than trying to win the point outright.
- Bandeja
- A controlled overhead with slice, hit at around shoulder height, aimed deep so it stays low off the back glass. It keeps you at the net when you are lobbed.
- Víbora
- A more aggressive overhead with sidespin and pace. It skids low and sideways off the side glass, and is harder to return but riskier to play.
- Smash
- The full overhead. Por tres (x3) means hitting it so hard it bounces out over the side or back wall; por cuatro (x4) sends it out through the door. Both win the point, but a smash that does not go out comes back off the glass.
From the back
- Lob (globo)
- A high ball over the net players, the most important defensive shot in padel. A good lob pushes them back and lets your pair take the net.
- Chiquita
- A soft, low shot at the net players' feet, forcing them to volley up.
- Bajada
- An attacking shot off a ball that has come high off the back glass: you move forward with it and hit it down, like a smash from the back.
- Contra-pared
- Hitting the ball into your own back wall to get it over the net, when there is no other way to reach it.
The basic tactic
The pair at the net is usually winning the point. So from the back, lob or chiquita to win the net back; at the net, volley deep and use the bandeja to stay there when lobbed. Beginners should learn the lob and the bandeja first.
Quick answers
- What is a bandeja in padel?
- A controlled overhead played with slice, aimed deep and low so it does not bounce high off the back glass. It lets you stay at the net.
- What is the difference between a bandeja and a víbora?
- Both are sliced overheads. The víbora is more aggressive, with more sidespin and pace, so the ball skids low and sideways off the glass.
- What is 'por tres' in padel?
- A smash hit so hard it bounces out of the court over the side or back wall. The opponents cannot reach it, so the point is won.
- What is a chiquita in padel?
- A soft, low shot to the feet of the net players, forcing them to volley upwards so you can take the net.