Dictionary of Padel

A cutting effect shot of the ball. On the bounce, the ball stays low with a tendency to fall toward the net.

One of the most common shots in padel. A kind of high volley in back spin, a shot not present in tennis.

Lower part of the racket from which the string comes out and is knotted to our wrist.

In the world of padel, carbon is a material used in the manufacture of structural elements of the racket, exploiting its virtues of strength and stiffness.

Part of the racket with which we have to hit the ball, so it will be the area that will give us the most sensations, the latter being necessary to develop the game of a correct form. The surface can be flat, smooth, streaked or wrinkled with the aim of giving more effect to the ball. Each racket has a certain number of holes in its surface with a diameter between 9 and 13 mm.

It is one of the most versatile grips in padel, as it allows us to make any stroke without losing time in changing the grip, thus facilitating the realization of the cut effect much used in padel. The simplest way to grip the racket in this way is to imagine grasping a hammer. In this way, the "V" that forms between the index finger and the thumb of the hand holding the racket should coincide with the center of our fist.

 

Situation in which we hit the ball against the wall of our court, so that after its rebound, it ends up in the opposite court.

The ball, after bouncing on the field, first bounces into a side wall (right or left) and then into the back wall before being hit by the player.

Shot of the ball that after bouncing on the field, bounces first into the back wall and then into the side wall (right or left) before being hit by the player.

It is produced when the ball impacts the racket twice in the same movement.

A game situation during which the ball bounces off two walls before being hit by the racket.

Ethylene vinyl acetate, rubber with high impact absorption power. Used in the core of rackets.

Changes in trajectory that the ball undergoes when it is hit in a certain way.

Rotation movement of the ball to the right or left.

The material par excellence in the manufacture of padel rackets (although it is used less). Its flexibility and its light weight make it very useful to resist the impacts of the ball. The performance improves when it is combined with carbon or graphite.

Polyethylene foam, rubber used in the manufacture of padel racket cores. Softer material than E.V.A. rubber.

One of the most common shots in padel. Its purpose is to get out of forced game situations by forcing opponents to move back towards the bottom of the rink and thus avoid attack situations close to the net.

Carbon crystals in which the atoms are arranged in a hexagonal plane.

The part we use to grip the racquet. Being a part in direct contact with the hand, sweat and rubbing can cause this grip to deteriorate over time, losing its qualities. In many cases, a grip in poor condition can cause us to miss shots due to the small movements between the racket and the hand.

Method by which we grip our racket. Depending on the way we hold the racquet, we can make various types of strokes.

This is the part of the racket that we use to grip it. From its end comes out a rope that is mandatory to wear knotted to the wrist.

In this case the waiting position is much more important, since we have less reaction time at the net. In this case, the position we adopt will be practically the same as in the case of the defense, only now the racket remains almost at eye level, slightly separated from the body and we will have the center of gravity a little higher.

We stand facing the net, with our knees semi-bent (they will allow us to react more quickly to meet the ball) and the weight distributed on both legs. Slightly lean forward with the outside of our feet. The racket is placed in front of our belt, with the right hand (lefties with the left) we hold it and with the left we support it in the core area. The elbows are kept close to the body.

Very high strength fabric used in padel as reinforcement of various elements. Its rigidity can sometimes complicate its processing.

Repetition of a game phase originated for one of the reasons that are provided in the Game Rules of the Spanish Padel Federation.

Effect that is imprinted on the ball and that makes it rotate on itself, resulting in greater bounce or sliding on the wall.

It is one of the shots to which amateurs and professionals resort very often. It is used to "chase" opponents to the bottom of the court and thus conquer the net. If in more we load it of effect, we will be able to put seriously in difficulty the other couple.

It is placed on top of the grip and allows a better adaptation and customization of the grip to each different type of hand. It greatly simplifies the maintenance of the grip thanks to a quick replacement.

Shot that is used to overcome the rival that is under the net. Except the globe.

Bring your arm back before hitting the ball.

This is the upper part that surrounds the racquet. It serves to provide firmness and resistance (needed to hit the ball, but also for unfortunate hits against walls).

It occurs when the ball impacts into the walls or metal mesh.

Set of rules governing padel.

As in tennis, it is the shot that is executed to return the serve. It is normally a globe or cross court shot.

It is a shot that is made by intercepting the ball above the head, with a rapid downward movement. It can be performed before or after the ball bounces (in the second case it is called "smash with bounce") depending on the height of the ball that is about to hit: the more a ball comes down from above, the greater the difficulty of coordination to make the shot effectively.

Excellent ball impact zone, where you get more strength and feel, while also improving accuracy.

It is the position that we adopt while we wait for the ball to come from the opposite field and therefore it becomes a fundamental basic position that represents the moment before the execution of the shot.

Tie Break to be played at 10 points instead of 7.

Scoring system that aims to resolve a tie when it has come to 6 ties in games. The first pair to get to 7 points with a difference of 2 will win the set. In case of a tie at 7, play will continue until a pair manages to get 2 points apart.

Another material that is used in padel to bring firmness and strength without increasing the weight of the paddle too much. It is a metal derived from three minerals: rutile, ilmenite and titanite. In padel it can be added to the paddle in powder form mixed with paint.

Rotational movement of the ball of ascending shape.

It is a smash-like shot that is executed when the player is closer to the wall than to the net.

Shot executed near the net and before the ball hits the ground. Normally it is an impact shot that occurs in an attack situation, as the smash is a so-called closing shot.

It is one of the components of the padel court. It is located on the laterals, in the bottom and upper laterals. The impact of the ball on the mesh is not uniform, so it is used to send the ball to these areas to disorient the opponent.