Tennis players, we’ve got some bad news...
That beautiful forehand, monster backhand, and instinct to attack every ball? They are 1,000% holding you back on the padel court.
In this 10-minute video, Coach Alba of Underdog Padel (an ex-college tennis player) breaks down the five biggest adjustments tennis players need to make when transitioning to padel:
Quit taking every ball before it hits the glass. This is the biggest adjustment imho. In tennis, letting the ball pass you is usually a death sentence. In padel, it’s often exactly what you want. Learning to play off the back glass buys you time to get into position, read the ball, and choose your shot.
Shorten your swing. Tennis gives you more time and space to prepare, but padel doesn’t. Those big, elaborate swings often mean you’re making contact too late, particularly when playing off the glass. Keep your racket closer to your body, use compact preparations, and let your opponent’s pace do some of the work.
Stop hitting everything hard. A powerful groundstroke isn’t necessarily great in padel. Hit too hard into the back glass, and you’ll likely give your opponents an easy ball to attack. Instead, vary your speed, work on placement, and use power selectively. Sometimes a softer, well-placed shot does considerably more damage.
Get comfy moving forward. Tennis players are naturally comfortable chilling around the baseline. Padel is a different story. The net is where you want to be, and your groundstrokes should increasingly be about creating opportunities to move forward rather than trying to finish the point from the back of the court.
Creating opportunities > hitting winners. A well-placed volley that pushes your opponent out of position might not win you the point immediately, but it could set up an easy winner on the very next shot. Make your next ball easier rather than forcing something spectacular right now.
The good news, however, is that your tennis background isn’t something you need to throw away. Your footwork, timing, coordination, and reflexes are all valuable assets… but you just need to learn how to apply them differently.
Hope this helps. Suerte!
Want more recent upskilling advice? We got you covered:
Thanks for reading! My promise: I’ll keep the newsletters coming, you share with a friend if you’re enjoying. Está bien? Forward to a friend.
For more on-the-ground 🌎 padel content from a 🇺🇸 POV, follow @elremate.padel.usa on Instagram! And if you have any feedback, news to share, or are interested in becoming a preferred partner of El Remate, just respond to this email :)
See you next week & keep smashing those volleys 🎾