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Groundstrokes — forehands and backhands played after one bounce — are the baseline of padel technique. Unlike tennis, most padel groundstrokes aim to set up net play rather than win points outright.
Between shots, stand in a split step — feet shoulder-width apart, weight forward on the balls of your feet, racket held centrally. The split step loads your muscles to move in any direction.
Start your backswing the moment you read the direction of the incoming ball — not when it's arriving. In padel, early preparation is more important than in tennis because courts are smaller and balls come faster off glass.
Strike the ball in front of your leading hip — not level with your body (late contact) or too far ahead (loss of control). A cue: you should see the ball and your racket face in your peripheral vision simultaneously at contact.
Swing through the ball toward your intended target. The follow-through determines direction more than the backswing. A compact, directed follow-through produces consistent placement.
After every groundstroke, recover toward the centre baseline (not the centre of the court — stay near the baseline until you can transition to the net). Your partner should mirror your position.
Coach tip
In padel, groundstrokes are a vehicle to get to the net — not a weapon to win points. Every groundstroke should be played with the net transition in mind.
Upload a video of your groundstroke and get frame-by-frame AI coaching. SmashIQ identifies contact point, swing path, and footwork automatically.
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