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Your partner is about to smash. Where do you go?
When your partner smashes, you hold the net and take the middle. You are the one who finishes the point.
Your partner has moved back to smash a short lob. You are at the net on the other side. What do you do?
When your partner smashes, you hold the net and take the middle. You are the one who finishes the point.
Why
A smash is rarely a clean winner below professional level, so your job is to be standing where the reply arrives. Most defensive answers come back low and through the middle, because that is the only place a blocked ball can go. Shade a step towards the centre, keep your racket up, and stay at your normal net distance so a surprise lob does not go straight over you. If your partner’s smash is weak and they end up deep, then you both drop back: together.
What this means at your level
Beginner
Do not watch the smash. Watch the opponents. Your eyes belong on the player about to hit the ball back.
Intermediate
Half a step towards the middle is enough. Any more and the down-the-line reply behind you becomes the easy option.
Advanced
If your partner is smashing for the side glass exit, shift to cover the opposite diagonal instead: the only ball that comes back from that smash is a desperate cross.
Common questions
Your partner has moved back to smash a short lob. You are at the net on the other side. What do you do?
Hold your position and shade to the middle. When your partner smashes, you hold the net and take the middle. You are the one who finishes the point. A smash is rarely a clean winner below professional level, so your job is to be standing where the reply arrives. Most defensive answers come back low and through the middle, because that is the only place a blocked ball can go. Shade a step towards the centre, keep your racket up, and stay at your normal net distance so a surprise lob does not go straight over you. If your partner’s smash is weak and they end up deep, then you both drop back: together.
Why not move in tight to finish the rebound?
Creeping in is how you get lobbed. If the smash is not a winner, the reply comes back fast and over your head.
What should a beginner do here?
Do not watch the smash. Watch the opponents. Your eyes belong on the player about to hit the ball back.
How does this change for an advanced player?
If your partner is smashing for the side glass exit, shift to cover the opposite diagonal instead: the only ball that comes back from that smash is a desperate cross.
Puzzles like this one
Your partner got pulled wide. Where do you stand?
The pair moves like one body. When your partner is pulled wide, you take the middle.
beginnerYou have served. Where do you go?
In padel you serve in order to get to the net. Serve, then go.
intermediateShort, high and yours. Bandeja or smash?
Deep ball, bandeja. Short ball with your weight going forward, smash.