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Your partner is moving forward. What is your job?
When your partner advances, you advance. Same line, same moment. The non-hitter often leads.
Your partner has hit a good ball and is advancing. You did not hit it. What should you be doing?
When your partner advances, you advance. Same line, same moment. The non-hitter often leads.
Why
Transitions are pair movements. When one partner hits a ball good enough to advance behind, the other moves forward at the same time, staying level, so the pair arrives at the service line together and split-steps together. The partner who did not hit usually has the better view of the ball's quality and can lead the movement; the hitter is finishing a swing. The pair that stays level through every transition is never split, and the pair that is never split is very hard to beat at club level, whatever their shots look like.
What this means at your level
Beginner
Watch your partner's feet as much as the ball. When they go forward, you go forward.
Intermediate
The non-hitter calls the movement: "up" or "stay". You see the ball better than the person who just hit it.
Advanced
Drift toward the middle as you advance. The reply to a good transition ball is usually through the centre, and you want to be closing it as you arrive.
Common questions
Your partner has hit a good ball and is advancing. You did not hit it. What should you be doing?
Moving forward with them, level. When your partner advances, you advance. Same line, same moment. The non-hitter often leads. Transitions are pair movements. When one partner hits a ball good enough to advance behind, the other moves forward at the same time, staying level, so the pair arrives at the service line together and split-steps together. The partner who did not hit usually has the better view of the ball's quality and can lead the movement; the hitter is finishing a swing. The pair that stays level through every transition is never split, and the pair that is never split is very hard to beat at club level, whatever their shots look like.
Why not holding the back in case the ball comes back?
Holding the back while your partner advances splits the pair. If it goes wrong you both go back; if it goes right you are both at the net.
What should a beginner do here?
Watch your partner's feet as much as the ball. When they go forward, you go forward.
How does this change for an advanced player?
Drift toward the middle as you advance. The reply to a good transition ball is usually through the centre, and you want to be closing it as you arrive.
Puzzles like this one
Both of them are at the net. What is the highest-percentage ball?
Only the lob moves a net pair backwards. Everything else invites them forward.
intermediateYour 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.