Padel Shots Explained: 12 Shots You Need and When to Play Them

If you are completely new to the sport, start with what padel is and how it is scored.

The 12 main padel shots at a glance

Your position should determine your shot

A shot that works near the net may be reckless from behind the service line.

A 2025 analysis of 10,321 shots from elite men’s Premier Padel matches found that forehands, backhands and lobs were most common from the baseline, overheads were concentrated in the transition area and volleys dominated at the net. The results cannot be applied mechanically to every amateur match, but they support a useful principle: build the point from the back and look to attack from further forward.

Use three clear court zones:

Back-court zone

This is primarily where you defend, absorb pressure and create an opportunity to move forward. The main options are groundstrokes, lobs and wall returns.

Transition zone

This is the uncomfortable space between the baseline and the net. Do not remain here without a reason. Either move forward behind a good ball or recover backwards when the opponents retain control.

Overheads such as the bandeja and víbora are often played from this area after the opponents lob.

Net zone

The pair controlling the net normally has more attacking options. Volleys and suitable overheads can keep the opponents behind the service line and create a weaker reply.

Being at the net does not mean every ball should be hit hard. Placement, depth and forcing the opponents to contact the ball low are often more useful.

1. The serve

Every point begins with the serve, but the serve does not need to be an ace attempt. Its practical job is to begin the point reliably and give the serving pair time to move towards the net.

Under the 2026 FIP rules:

• The server must bounce the ball before striking it.
• Contact must be made at or below waist height.
• At least one foot must remain in contact with the ground.
• The ball must travel diagonally into the correct service box.
• The receiver must allow the serve to bounce before returning it.

For most players, a controlled slice serve directed towards the side glass, the opponent’s body or the centre is more useful than maximum speed.

Common mistake: watching the serve instead of moving forward. Begin advancing once the serve is under control, while staying balanced for the return.

2. The return

The first goal of the return is to put the ball back into play without giving the server an easy attacking volley.

Useful return options include:

• A controlled low return towards the advancing server
• A cross-court return with safe margin
• A lob when the serve allows enough preparation time

Avoid trying to hit an outright winner from a difficult serve. A good return makes the serving pair play one more ball and gives your team a chance to improve its position.

Remember that the return of serve cannot be volleyed. The serve must bounce first.

3. The forehand

The forehand is played on the dominant side of the body and is one of the main rally shots from the back court.

In padel, the court is smaller and reaction time is limited, so a compact preparation is generally more reliable than a large tennis-style backswing. Use the forehand to:

• Keep the ball deep
• Play through the middle
• Pass an opponent who is too close to the net
• Prepare or disguise a lob
• Force a low volley

Power is useful only when you have enough time and balance. From a defensive position, depth and margin are usually more valuable.

4. The backhand

The backhand performs the same basic jobs on the non-dominant side: maintaining the rally, playing low towards the net pair, passing through a gap or setting up a lob.

A simple, stable backhand is more valuable than an ambitious one that breaks down under pressure. Prepare early, keep the contact point in front and recover your position after the shot.

Practise both cross-court and through-the-middle targets. The middle can be particularly useful because it reduces the available angles and may create uncertainty between the opposing players.

5. The lob

The lob is one of padel’s most important tactical shots. It sends the ball high over the net pair and can force them backwards, giving your team time to move forward or reset the rally.

A useful lob must be:

• High enough that the opponents cannot intercept it comfortably
• Deep enough to move them away from the net
• Hit with sufficient margin to avoid giving away the point

The lob is not only an emergency defensive shot. It can be used deliberately from a balanced position to challenge the opponents’ control of the net.

In an analysis of 20 professional World Padel Tour matches, lobs appeared in more than 76% of points. Amateur patterns will differ, but the frequency shows how central the lob is to padel rather than being an occasional escape shot.

Common mistake: hitting the lob too flat. A low lob creates an easy overhead for the opponents.

6. The wall return

The glass is not an obstacle to avoid. When an opponent’s shot lands deep, allowing it to rebound from your back or side glass can give you more space and time than trying to strike it before the wall.

The basic sequence is:

1. Read the depth and direction of the incoming ball.
2. Create space between yourself and the glass.
3. Allow the ball to bounce on the court and rebound from the wall.
4. Move with the rebound.
5. Contact the ball in front of your body.
6. Recover your court position.

Do not stand directly against the glass. The ball needs room to leave the wall.

According to the FIP rules, a ball remains playable after bouncing in the court and then touching the wall or fence, provided it is returned before its second ground bounce.

7. The volley

A volley is struck before the ball bounces. It is primarily used near the net to maintain pressure and keep the opposing pair behind the service line.

Padel volleys normally require:

• Short preparation
• Stable racket position
• Contact in front
• Controlled direction and depth
• Immediate recovery for the next shot

The first volley does not have to finish the point. Playing deep towards a corner, through the centre or down towards an opponent’s feet can create a weaker reply.

Professional match research shows that volleys are among the game’s most frequent and consequential actions, but also contribute to errors when players become overaggressive. Treat the volley as a controlled attacking shot, not a full swing. Faster hands at the net come from reaction and anticipation work, not a bigger swing.

8. The chiquita

The chiquita is a soft, low shot played towards the feet of opponents positioned at the net. Its purpose is not usually to win the point immediately.

A successful chiquita forces the opponent to contact the ball below net height. That can produce a soft upward volley and allow your pair to move forward.

Use it when:

• You are balanced and have time
• The net players are positioned close to the net
• You can keep the ball low
• Your partner is ready to advance with you

Do not automatically rush forward after every chiquita. Move only when the shot produces the weaker reply you expected.

9. The bandeja

The bandeja, Spanish for “tray”, is a controlled overhead used when opponents lob over the net pair. It is normally played with slice and less finishing intent than a smash.

Its main purpose is to:

• Prevent the lob from pushing you fully to the back court
• Keep the opponents deep
• Retain or recover the net position
• Continue the point from an advantageous formation

Use the bandeja when the lob is deep enough that attempting a full smash would leave you off balance.

A bandeja is not a failed smash. It has a different tactical purpose: control and position rather than immediate power.

10. The víbora

The víbora is a more aggressive overhead with pronounced side spin. It is normally struck with more speed and from a more favourable position than the bandeja.

Use it when:

• The lob is shorter or more attackable
• You can contact the ball comfortably in front and to the side
• You are balanced
• You want a lower, more difficult rebound from the glass

The víbora sits between the bandeja and the smash in attacking intent. It can pressure opponents without requiring the all-or-nothing commitment of a power smash.

Beginners should first develop a reliable bandeja. Adding speed and spin before controlling contact and recovery usually creates errors. Repeated overheads also load the shoulder and trunk, so it is worth understanding which muscles padel actually uses.

11. The smash

The smash is an attacking overhead used against a short, high ball. Depending on contact, spin, direction and court conditions, it may:

• Win the point directly
• Return over the net to the hitter’s side
• Leave the court over the three-metre side wall, commonly called an x3
• Leave over the four-metre back enclosure, an x4
• Force a weak defensive reply

The x3 and x4 describe the outcome or target of a smash; they are not completely separate foundations that a beginner must learn immediately.

Smash when the ball is short enough, you are positioned well and you can contact it high and in front. Against a deeper lob, the bandeja is usually the safer option.

Common mistake: trying to smash while moving backwards. This reduces control and can allow the opponents to counterattack after the rebound.

12. The bajada

The bajada de pared is an attacking shot played after the ball bounces high from the back glass.

Instead of defending softly, the player uses the height of the rebound to drive the ball down towards the opponents. It can be played through the middle, towards the feet or into an open space.

Use the bajada when:

• The rebound leaves the ball comfortably high
• You have created enough space from the glass
• You are balanced
• The opponents have left a suitable target

If the rebound is low or awkward, play a controlled defensive ball instead. Not every back-wall rebound should become an attack.

Bandeja vs víbora vs smash

The correct choice depends on the height, depth and direction of the lob, your balance, court speed and the opponents’ positions. Shot selection matters more than choosing the most impressive stroke.

What about the drop shot?

The drop shot can work when opponents are positioned deep and you can disguise the contact. However, it has a small margin for error and can bring fast opponents forward.

Treat it as a situational variation rather than one of the first shots a beginner needs to build a dependable game.

The best order for learning padel shots

A practical learning order is:

1. Serve and return
2. Controlled forehand and backhand
3. Back-glass and side-glass returns
4. Lob
5. Forehand and backhand volley
6. Bandeja
7. Chiquita
8. Víbora
9. Bajada
10. Different smash outcomes

You do not need to “complete” one shot before practising another. The order simply places reliable point-building skills before higher-risk attacking variations.

A simple practice session

Serve and return

Alternate serves and controlled returns. The server moves forward while the receiver aims low or uses a lob.

Groundstroke, glass and lob

Feed alternating deep and shorter balls. Decide whether to play directly, use the glass or lob based on the depth.

Lob and overhead decision

One pair lobs while the net pair calls and plays either a bandeja, víbora or smash. The shot must match the quality of the lob.

Volley under control

Play volleys towards large target zones. Increase pace only after maintaining depth and balance consistently.

Conditioned points

Begin every point with a particular situation. For example, a return, a deep ball off the glass or a lob to the net pair, then play the point out.

Common shot-selection mistakes

• Trying to hit winners from the back court
• Smashing every high ball
• Using a large backswing on fast volleys
• Avoiding the glass and taking deep balls too early
• Playing lobs too low
• Remaining in the transition zone
• Moving forward behind a weak shot
• Learning advanced spin before controlling direction and depth
• Choosing the shot before reading the incoming ball

The most important shot is the correct one

A complete padel player needs defensive, neutral and attacking options. However, collecting shot names is not the same as making good decisions.

Build the reliable shots first: serve, return, groundstrokes, wall returns, lobs and volleys. Then add the bandeja and more aggressive variations. The goal is not to use every shot during every match. It is to recognise which one gives your pair the best next position.

Frequently asked questions

What padel shots should a beginner learn first?

Start with the serve, return, a compact forehand and backhand, the back-glass return, the lob and the volley. These get you through the basics of starting points, defending, and moving between the back and front of the court before you touch an advanced overhead.

What is the difference between a bandeja and a víbora?

The bandeja is a controlled, sliced overhead you play mainly to hold the net against a deeper lob. The víbora is faster, carries more side spin, and gets played from a more attackable position to put your opponents under pressure.

Is the bandeja a smash?

No. Both are overheads, but they do different jobs. The bandeja is about control, depth and keeping your net position; the smash is played to finish the point.

What is a chiquita in padel?

A chiquita is a soft, low shot aimed at the feet of opponents standing at the net. It forces them to volley upwards, which opens the door for your pair to move in.

Can you use the glass to return the ball?

Yes. Once the ball bounces on your side, it can come off the wall or fence and stay in play. You have to return it before it bounces a second time on the ground. You can also play it off your own wall, as long as it then lands correctly in the opposing court.

Can you volley a padel serve?

No. The receiver has to let the serve bounce inside the correct service box before playing it.

What does x3 mean in padel?

An x3 is a smash that bounces in the opposing court and then clears the three-metre side enclosure. It's an advanced smash outcome, not a separate beginner shot.

Sources

Professional-match findings describe elite play and are not automatically transferable to beginners or recreational players. Where this guide gives coaching guidance, it is presented as practical advice rather than a research result.

• International Padel Federation — Rules of Padel, effective January 1, 2026.
• Martín-Miguel et al. — Game Dynamics in Professional Padel: Shots Per Point, Point Pace and Technical Actions.
• Ampuero, Fuentes-García and Baiget — The Influence of Hitting Locations on Shot Outcomes in Professional Men's Padel.
• Escudero-Tena et al. — Decisive Shots: Unveiling Disparities between Winning and Losing Pairs in High-Level Men's Padel.
• Martín-Miguel et al. — Performance Analysis in Padel: A Systematic Review.