PADEL TECHNIQUE IN A MATCH:

Every rally can generally be divided into three situations:

 

• Under pressure
• Neutral
• With an advantage

 

“If you recognize which situation you’re in, your shot selection becomes logical and calm,” explains Lana. In this article, she shares a simple decision-making model to help you choose the right shot.

“You’re under pressure when you have little time, your contact point isn’t ideal and your opponent is controlling the pace at the net,” explains the padel expert. “When you’re under pressure, your goal isn’t to win the point — it’s to keep the ball in play and buy time so you can work your way out of a difficult situation.” What matters most here is staying calm and patient.

 

The shot you should choose is the lob:

“For the lob, slightly open the racket face and play the ball from low to high to create depth and height, pushing your opponents back. Don’t forget to use your legs to support the swing. The lob gives you those valuable extra seconds to get yourself back into position. You can also use the glass wall to slow the game down. When you’re under pressure, mistakes happen if you play too flat, too fast or without control. “The lob and the glass do the exact opposite: they take pace off the ball and help you get the rally back under control.”

This is how you slow the game down and give yourself time to reset.

Neutral situations decide many points — quietly, without much spectacle. Here, it’s not the player who goes for the boldest shot who wins, but the one who avoids mistakes. “A neutral situation is when both teams are building the point patiently, waiting for the right moment to move forward on offense.” Both teams are trying to be the first to put their opponents under pressure and play strategically with either precision or power. What you should avoid is unnecessary risk before you’re in the right position. “A common mistake in neutral situations is accelerating too early or playing in a rushed way,” Lana warns. Rushing always leads to less control. “Wait until you get an easy ball — then you can take control of the offensive play with more confidence.”

 

What To Do In A Neutral Situation

Choose a controlled forehand or backhand. Stay patient to minimize your risk of error. Maintain a steady rhythm in your shots and focus on placing the ball into open space. Stay precise so you don’t give your opponent time to counterattack. “Most of the time, the player who waits for the right moment wins.”

You’re at an advantage when you’re positioned at the net, the ball is coming high and slow and your opponents are out of position. “Now you’re controlling the rally and the pace,” Lana explains. “When you have the advantage, the goal is to apply pressure and control the game — not just through speed, but through placement and precision.”

 

Take A Risk — But Stay In Control: Choose the Volley or the Overhead

When you have the advantage, it makes sense to take a calculated risk. The shots to consider are the volley or the overhead, since both take time away from your opponents. “With both shots, you stay at the net, maintain the pressure and force your opponents into difficult returns,” says the expert. “Both shots are played out of the air — calm, compact and with clear placement.” Of course, these shots carry a higher level of risk, but it should always remain controlled. “You’re not playing harder or faster, but more precisely, since your opponents can use the glass wall to defend. If you have time, move forward. With a well-placed volley, you capitalize on your advantage and control the point.”

Many beginners don’t lose points because they play poorly — they lose them because they try to do too much too soon. “In padel, patience is rewarded,” Lana says from years of experience. The player who waits controls the rally.

 

Lana’s tip to remember during a rally:

“Ask yourself: Do I have time — or am I being pushed? If you have time, you can take control. If you’re under pressure, stay calm until you’re back in a better position.”

When you stop seeing shots as obligations and start seeing them as solutions to situations, your game changes. It becomes calmer, more structured — and you naturally make fewer mistakes. Lana’s tip: “The better you recognize the situation, the easier it is to choose the right shot. This takes the pressure off and brings structure to your game. The more you practice this, the more confident you’ll become in a match. Give it a try!”

👉 Start the video now and learn how to choose the right shot at the right moment.

Why do shots work in training but not in a match?
Because in a match, the shot often doesn’t fit the situation — it’s not about technique. That’s why making the right decision is so important. Assess the situation you’re in and learn which shot to use in each match situation.

 

When should I take a risk?
Only when you have an advantage and enough time.

 

What’s the most important thing to keep in mind during a match?
Patience beats rushing.