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On which side should I play padel?

Padel, like almost any sport, in addition to demanding a good physical conditions, also requires technical, tactical and strategic training so that players can excel on the court. It is very common, in fact, that those who want to develop their best game in this discipline ask themselves, on which side should I play padel? Often this is a decision that we must make based on our skills and that of our partner.
It may even happen that both want to be on the same side of the court, so it is not an easy decision to make in some circumstances. However, neither corresponds to a situation that can not be solved, as long as both players want to give the best of themselves on the court. On which side I play in padel is, therefore, a strategic decision that is taken depending on the qualities that each player has and the circumstances of the match. In this post we have gathered some very useful tips to help you in this dilemma.

Padel teammate

On which side I play padel according to my skills and those of my partner.

To determine which side I play on in padel we must elucidate that this is a decision that should not be taken individually, but in a consensual, objective way that favors the game as a couple. Here are the characteristics to be considered in order to position yourself properly on the court:

The left-handed player always on the right

If the team is made up of a right-handed player and a left-handed player, the left handed player must be on the right side of the court. If you do not, then both of you will have your backhand in the middle of the court, which will open up more opportunities for your opponents to hurt you on that side. Especially because it will be difficult for you to use your forehand and backhand. Also think that for a safer shots we use the middle much more than the corners, so left handed on the right side will cover the middle with the forehand shots as well as the right handed player playing on the left side of the court.

Keeping in mind the formula of “Lefty always to the right” will allow you to better cover the center of the court and get a better control of the aerial game.

Who has a better aerial game?

Defining who has a better aerial game is essential to know which side I play on in padel. The fact is that the player with a better command of this skill should be located in the area that allows him/her to have the bandeja and the shot down the center.

Now, if both are right-handed, it will be on the backhand, and if they are left-handed on the forehand. In this way it will be easier to perform a good backhand or a bandeja.

The one with the better backhand volley will go….

The person who plays on the right side naturally tends to use his backhand volley because it is in the center of the court. It is for this reason that the player with the better backhand volley tends to be on the right side of the court.

It should be considered that if the player with better backhand volley skills is not having a good day, it is best to make a change. Especially since most of the balls are likely to go that way.

The importance of the service return…

As long as the game is not in a golden point situation, the player with the best return of the serve on the team, could play on the left side. It is an interesting proposal, but in the end, except when the score is 40/15 and 15/40, most of the points to close the games or even the match will be taken from the left side.

Deciding which side to play on in padel can sometimes depend on who performs better in those points where the tension invades us. Do you want another tip? When you dispute these points, it is best to make it easy and play a no risky shots, regardless of whether there is the possibility of leaving an easy ball for opponents.

On which side do I play paddle

Level of play

When the difference in level of play between the partners is notable or one of the two is playing terrible, we must take into account that from the backhand we can cover more of the game to help the partner, in case they are attacking a lot on their side.

Not all of us like to apply this strategy, but padel competitions are distinguished by this peculiarity. The opponents will always attack the weaker player to get good results. In these scenarios, it is best that the player on the left backs up his partner, not the other way around.

Fatigue

Unless we are playing with a lefty, the backhand player tends to cover more game than the drive player, especially with the aerial game. So if we are playing on the left side in a one-day tournament and we are not super exhausted, a change of side could be good for the team as long as our partner is in better physical condition. This way, he/she can play more in the middle, taking up more of the play.

Changing sides when things are not going well

Which side I play on in padel often depends on how the game is developing. There are times when a simple change of position can give a positive turn to the match, even when you think all was lost. This is something that we padel fans have seen many times. Remember you can only change sides when YOU or your PARTNER serve, so you can not change sides until the set ends. Once a new set starts then the player who returns the serve on the right side will stay on that side during the whole set.

Conclusions

The tips described in this post about which side I play on in padel are usually very effective, but they do not apply to all couples. As we said, the decision to play a position should be analyzed together with our partner, studying your skills and those of your opponents, including the circumstances of the match.

Finally, we must remember that it is possible to change sides in the return at the beginning of each set. But the serve, the Australian can be done and undone whenever you want. The rules of the game indicate from which side you can serve and subtract, but not from which side you should play the rest of the point.

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