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The casual player's padel playbook

10 things that take you from beginner to someone worth playing against

1. 01

   The net is the only place worth being

   The pair that holds the net controls the point. At the baseline you're defending, reacting, hoping. At the net you have angles your opponents can't reach, you're cutting off their time, and you can put away anything short. Every shot you play from the back should be asking one question: does this buy us a path forward?

   The players who look effortless at your club aren't hitting harder – they're positioning better. Stop playing to win points from the back. Start playing to get to the net.

2. 02

   The serve is not a weapon – it's a ticket in

   You cannot ace someone in padel. The receiver has the back glass behind them, time to get set, and a rebound to use. The serve's only job is to start the rally and get you to the net. A reliable serve to the wide body or deep backhand, followed immediately by stepping forward – that's the whole sequence.

   Players who try to win points with the serve mostly just add faults. Read why consistency beats pace every time.

3. 03

   Lob earlier than feels right

   Most club players lob too late and too flat. By the time they decide to lob, they're already under pressure, the shot is rushed, and it lands short – straight into a smash. A well-timed defensive lob, hit early with an open racket face and plenty of height, resets the point and pushes the net pair back to the baseline.

   The cue: if you're behind the service line with both opponents at the net, lob. Hit it higher than feels necessary. Give it space. The full lob guide covers the three types and when to use each.

4. 04

   Move parallel with your partner, always

   The single most common positioning mistake in club padel: one player at the net, one lurking near the baseline. This diagonal shape looks like coverage but isn't – it leaves the gap between you permanently exposed, and neither player is set up to attack or defend as a unit.

   Both players advance together. Both players retreat together. When your partner moves laterally, you adjust with them. Doubles positioning explains exactly how this works.

5. 05

   Let the wall be your extra second

   The instinct when the ball passes you is panic. Your brain says hit it before it gets away. That instinct is wrong. In padel, the ball bouncing off the back glass is still in play – and you can read that rebound to hit a better shot from a stronger position than you'd have managed by chasing it down early.

   Learning to wait – to trust the wall – is the moment padel starts to feel like a different sport. Your first month of padel has a simple drill to build this habit.

6. 06

   Don't try to win from the baseline

   Hard drives from deep feel attacking. In padel they're usually self-defeating. A ball hit hard into a player near the baseline bounces into the back glass and comes back to them with extra time – you've done their work for them. The glass turns pace against the hitter.

   From the back, the goal is to get forward, not to finish the point. A deep lob, a controlled reset, a cautious cross-court – anything that creates time to advance. The case for stopping baseline aggression.

7. 07

   Your footwork loses you more points than your shots

   The players who look composed on court have their feet sorted before the ball arrives. If you're still moving when you swing, the racket face goes unpredictable. The split step – a small hop timed to your opponent's contact – loads your legs and lets you push off in any direction. It takes about a week of conscious practice to become automatic.

   After every shot, take two deliberate steps toward your recovery position before watching the ball. Padel footwork: what to build and how.

8. 08

   Talk to your partner – even three words is enough

   Most casual pairs play the whole match in silence apart from "good shot." This creates rallies where both players go for the same ball, points lost to hesitation, and missed opportunities that neither player can explain afterward.

   Three calls cover most situations: "mine," "yours," and "back." Call the ball early, before you commit. Say something between points about what you're about to do. Players who communicate improve faster and win more – the two things are connected. Padel tips for players past the beginner stage.

9. 09

   Play with people better than you

   The single fastest way to improve. When you play with opponents 15–20% above your level, the game compresses – less time, faster movement, better decisions required. You'll read the play earlier, your positioning will improve, and your errors will get sharper feedback. When you return to playing at your own level, things slow down noticeably.

   Your job in a mixed-ability game is not to match the better players shot for shot. It's to serve reliably, cut unforced errors, and be in adequate position. How to hold your own with better players.

10. 10

    Fix one thing per session, not five

    The plateau most players hit at 6–12 months isn't fixed by playing more. It's fixed by playing more deliberately. Pick one specific thing to focus on – your ready position at the net, committing to the lob earlier, recovering to centre after every shot – and actively try to apply it during play. Notice when you revert. Reset.

    Film yourself once a month. What you think you're doing and what you're doing are rarely the same thing. One session of footage will give you a clearer fix than five coaching sessions where you forgot to ask the right question. How to improve at padel without lessons.