Finishing the point in padel is not always easy. It requires the player to apply tactical patterns that have been worked on in training.
This exercise adds a new combination to the left-side player’s tactical toolbox: once it has been developed in training, it can be reproduced in matches with greater confidence.
For the left-side player, the combination consists of drawing the diagonal opponent towards the middle, before exploiting the space created near the fence with a backhand volley.
The exercise therefore teaches the player to move the opponent in order to create space, while prioritising control and placement rather than systematically looking for power.
The tactical pattern explained:
This exercise allows the left-side player to add another combination to their tactical toolbox for trying to finish the point.
🎯 The desired pattern is: Bandeja or vibora to the middle → backhand volley towards the diagonal fence.
The first shot aims to move the opposing left-side player towards the middle of the court. The space created near the fence can then be exploited with a controlled backhand volley.
When executed well, this combination can either finish the point directly or, at the very least, maintain a dominant position in the rally.
For the combination to work, two elements are particularly important.
1️⃣ Play an effective bandeja or vibora to the middle
The first shot should not give the opponent an easy ball to lob. The objective is instead to keep the opponent in defense and force them to play a low ball.
➡️ To achieve this, the bandeja or vibora needs to be well executed: either played short into the open space, forcing the defender to cover a significant distance, or played so that the ball stays sufficiently low after coming off the glass, leaving the defender little time to prepare a lob.
The ball played to the middle must also be taken by the diagonal opponent, meaning the opposing left-side player. If the right-side player takes the ball instead, the diagonal opponent has more time to recover their position, reducing the effectiveness of the combination.
2️⃣ Control the volley towards the fence
The second shot should above all be a controlled volley.
There is no need to hit this volley with power. The faster the ball reaches the fence, the more likely it is to come off the fence a long way after the rebound, giving the opponent time to recover their position. Hitting too hard also increases the risk of making an error.
➡️ The player should therefore aim to play a controlled and precise ball towards the fence, keeping it low so that it dies close to the fence. This makes the rebound even more difficult for the opponent to anticipate.
As with any tactical combination, this pattern will not work every time. The first shot may not produce the intended trajectory, the opponent may return the ball in a different direction, or they may choose to play towards the partner.
✅ This combination should therefore be considered an additional tactical tool, to be used occasionally to surprise the opponent. Even when it does not immediately finish the point, it can put the pair in a favourable position to continue the attack.
Putting it into practice in training:
The organisation of the exercise can be adapted according to the number of players on court.
➡️ Individual session (1 player)
The coach takes up a defensive position on one side of the court, while the player starts in the volley position on the opposite side.
1️⃣ First, the coach feeds balls with the racket from the basket so that the player can repeat the combination around ten times. This setup allows the player to practise the sequence without uncertainty and anticipate both shots.
2️⃣ Next, the coach and player rally cross-court. During the rally, the coach plays a lob to the player, who then looks to play a bandeja or vibora to the middle, followed by a controlled backhand volley towards the fence.
This second situation allows the player to adapt to the defender’s reactions and adjust their positioning in order to try to reproduce the combination.
➡️ Session with 2 players
The two players position themselves in the left-side diagonal (one attacking and working on the combination, the other defending) and play a conditioned rally.
The defender plays a lob to the attacker, who looks to follow it with a bandeja or vibora to the middle and then a controlled backhand volley towards the fence.
Working within a rally allows the attacker to take the opponent’s response into account and adjust their positioning before the second shot.
After several minutes, the players switch roles.
➡️ With a group of 3 or 4 players
The players take up their usual positions, with one pair at the net and the other pair defending.
Initially, the left-side player of the attacking pair works on the combination.
The players perform conditioned rallies: the left-side defender plays a lob to the left-side attacker, who then looks to play a bandeja or vibora to the middle before following up, if the ball comes back to them, with a controlled backhand volley towards the fence.
This setup allows the combination to be practised within a rally involving several players and teaches the player to adapt their positioning to the reactions of the opposing pair.
After several minutes of practice, the roles are switched.