You’ve hit a solid lob. Your opponents are back. You’re still at the baseline. This is the moment most club players waste.

Some try to rip a winner. Most just lob again and hope. A few – the ones who seem to win more than they should – do something different. They play a short, controlled ball low to the feet of the retreating net players, then walk calmly forward. Two shots later, they’re at the net and in control.

That short, controlled ball is the chiquita. And once you understand what it’s trying to do, your whole back-of-court game starts to make more sense.

What is the chiquita?

A low, flat shot from the back court aimed at the feet of net players. It forces a difficult low volley – the hardest shot to handle at club level.

The chiquita (Spanish for “little”) is a low, flat shot played from the back of the court, aimed at the feet of players approaching the net. It forces an awkward low volley – denying opponents the high ball they want to attack.

The name gives you a hint about the shot’s character. This is a small, precise ball – targeted, not powered. You’re not trying to hit through anyone. You’re placing the ball somewhere they can’t do anything comfortable with it.

The chiquita exists in the space between lob and volley in the sequence of a padel rally. The lob buys you time and pushes opponents back. The chiquita uses that time – it’s the transition moment, the shot that moves the rally from defensive to attacking. The volley is what you hit once you’ve arrived at the net.

Get the chiquita right and you stop bouncing between lob and lob and lob. You start playing chess.

Why the chiquita matters

Here’s the problem with only knowing how to lob: you can lob forever and still lose.

A lob gets you out of trouble. A great lob forces a weak reply. But a weak reply from the net pair – a short bandeja, a gentle overhead – often just starts the cycle again. They’re back at the net. You’re at the back. You lob. They overhead. Nothing changes.

The chiquita breaks the cycle. A well-placed chiquita forces your opponents to volley at their feet – one of the hardest shots in padel. Even professionals give away cheap errors on low volleys. At club level, the low volley is an invitation to make a mistake.

More than that, the chiquita gives you a reason to move forward. Every good chiquita should be followed by you advancing toward the net. That movement – the transition – is where rallies are won. You’re not a back-court player waiting for something to happen. You’re in the middle of making something happen.

When to use it

Use the chiquita when opponents drift back from the net anticipating a lob. That two-to-three metre gap is the window the shot is designed for.

Use the chiquita when your opponents have drifted back from the net to cover a potential lob. That gap is your window. They’ve stepped away from the net – the chiquita lands at their feet before they can close in.

The specific moment to look for: you’ve just hit a soft, high lob from a defensive position. Your opponents drift back to cover the smash. That’s the cue. They’re expecting another lob. Play the chiquita instead.

At beginner and intermediate level, this is often an easier target than coaches suggest. Players at the net during a long rally frequently drift back as each lob goes up, anticipating a smash. They’re not thinking about the chiquita. They give you the gap regularly.

When not to use it: if your opponents are pressed tight to the net – within a metre or less – the chiquita doesn’t work. The ball arrives too close to them and too quickly to be difficult. In that situation, lob. Give yourself time to reset and wait for a better gap.

The same applies if you’re deep under pressure and scrambling. The chiquita requires some control and a moment of calm. If you’re fully stretched, lob to get out of trouble, then look for the chiquita on the next exchange.

How to hit a chiquita

Grip. Use a continental grip – same as for volleys and serves. This is what gives you the open racket face you need.

Racket face. Open and angled upward – think of scooping the ball, opening the face underneath it. The “catch a fly” analogy from coaching sessions is useful: wait for the ball to come to you, no aggressive swing needed.

Contact point. In front of your hip, low. Bend your knees – this shot requires you to get low, not lean. The contact should feel controlled and unhurried.

Ball flight. Flat. No topspin. Padel rackets have no strings, which means you can’t generate reliable topspin the way you would in tennis. Players who cross over from tennis try to brush up through the ball and end up with an inaccurate shot that sits up. Hit it flat – a clean, precise contact. The ball should travel low over the net and dip down toward the feet of the incoming player.

Pace. Moderate. Faster is not always better. A common mistake is hitting the chiquita too hard and losing the placement. The shot works because of where it lands, not how fast it travels.

Forehand or backhand? Both exist. The backhand chiquita is generally easier to learn first – the contact point is more natural, and the open face is easier to achieve. If you’re picking one to practise first, start with the backhand.

The most common mistakes

Opponents too close to the net. The single most common error. If they’re right at the net, the chiquita is an invitation, not a threat. Check where they are before you commit to the shot.

Hitting too hard. Pace kills placement on the chiquita. You lose the control that makes the shot dangerous. Ease off and focus on the target zone – feet, not body.

Trying topspin. Padel rackets can’t generate it reliably. The result is an inaccurate shot that often sits up. Hit flat.

Staying at the back after the shot. This is the other half of the shot going wrong. You’ve forced a difficult low volley – now you need to be moving forward to capitalise. If you’re standing at the baseline when they scramble the reply, you’ve missed the point.

Aiming too ambitious. Down the line is risky. Cross-court is the higher-percentage target – more court available, more chance of landing at their feet. Beginners should default to cross-court until the shot feels reliable.

What to do after the shot

Move forward. This is non-negotiable.

The chiquita is designed to put your opponents in difficulty. But that difficulty is only an opportunity if you’re positioned to take it. A low volley at their feet will pop up short – sometimes into the net, sometimes as a gift ball you can put away. If you’re at the back when that happens, you can’t do anything with it.

Start moving toward the net immediately after contact. You won’t reach the net in one step, but you’ll be in mid-court, positioned to close on the reply. If their low volley goes into the net, good – you didn’t need to be there anyway. If it comes back short, you’re already moving toward it.

At professional level, players sometimes string multiple chiquitas together – probing with low balls at the feet, advancing each time, testing for an opening before going for the lob or the put-away. This “chiquita on a chiquita” approach is a useful concept even at club level. Each chiquita you play is a step forward, literally and tactically.

Chiquita or lob? How to choose

Lob when opponents are close to the net or you’re under pressure. Chiquita when they’ve drifted back and you have a moment of calm.

Both shots are about buying time and creating problems for the net pair. The difference is what kind of problem you’re creating – and when.

Choose the lob when:

  • You’re under pressure and need time
  • Opponents are tight to the net (too close for a chiquita to work)
  • You want to change ends or reset the rally

Choose the chiquita when:

  • Opponents have drifted back, creating a gap at the net
  • You have a moment of calm and can control the ball
  • You want to transition forward, not just survive

The best players use them together. A lob pushes opponents back. A chiquita uses the gap the lob created. A lob off the back wall opens the gap again. Back and forth, probing for the right moment to commit forward. The two shots are complementary – each sets up the other.

Once you’re at the net after a chiquita, the net approach guide covers what to do next. And if your opponents start lobbing you, the bandeja is what you need.

FAQ

What is a chiquita in padel?

The chiquita (Spanish for “little”) is a low, controlled shot from the back court aimed at the feet of incoming net players. It forces a difficult low volley, denying opponents the high ball they want.

Chiquita or lob: which should you play?

Use the chiquita when opponents have drifted back from the net – that gap is your window. Use the lob when they’re pressed tight to the net, when you’re scrambling, or when you need time to reset.

Forehand or backhand: which is easier?

Most players find the backhand easier to learn first. The contact point is more natural and the open racket face easier to achieve on the backhand side.

Should you use topspin on a chiquita?

No. Padel rackets have no strings, which makes reliable topspin nearly impossible. Hit the chiquita flat – a clean, controlled contact over the net. Trying to brush up through the ball usually destroys accuracy.

Should you move forward after a chiquita?

Yes. The chiquita is only half the shot. Court position after contact is the other half. Hit a good chiquita and stay at the back, and you’ve wasted the opportunity. Move forward immediately after contact and put yourself in position to deal with their reply.