All levelsTechnique guide

Net Play — Padel Drills

Net play — occupying and dominating the net zone — is how padel matches are won. The pair that controls the net controls the point. Everything else supports getting and staying at the net.

Technique: step by step

Take up correct net position

1–1.5m from the net, slightly inside the singles sideline. Your racket should be at chest height, not low by your side. Weight forward, ready to move.

Communicate with your partner

In doubles, net play requires constant partner coordination. Who takes the middle ball? Who goes wide? Agree on signals (tap head = I take lobs; point forward = I'm going for the cross-court) before match starts.

Anticipate, don't react

Watch your opponents' body position and racket angle, not the ball. Their body tells you where the ball is going 0.3 seconds before contact. Anticipation lets you poach.

Poach when the opportunity exists

If your partner is playing a strong shot and you can intercept the return, do it. Poaching wins points and disrupts opponents. It requires trust in your partner to cover your vacated position.

Deal with lobs correctly

A deep lob means you must retreat and smash or bandeja. A short lob means your partner can smash. Agree in advance: a partner call of 'mine' means you hold your net position.

Coach tip

Every transition toward the net — after a serve, after a deep shot, after a lob — matters more than any individual shot. Build the habit of moving to the net as your default.

Drills by level

1.Four-balls-at-net drill: two pairs at the net, rallying cross-court. No groundstrokes allowed. First team to hit the ball out of the net zone (past the service line) loses the point.
2.Poach drill: partner serves from the baseline, you poach the return. Start with 50% poach frequency and increase. The server's job is to create a poachable ball.

1.Net hold drill: play points where your pair can never retreat behind the service line — even for lobs. Forces the smash or let-it-bounce decision. Builds positional urgency.
2.Australian formation: serve from the centre line, partner crosses to cover the opposite side. Forces opponents out of comfortable return patterns. Works well in P2+ club play.

1.Counter-lob-to-volley drill: two pairs. One pair lobs; one pair smashes and returns to net. Lob pair earns a point by forcing an error or getting the ball past the net pair. Max 6 lobs per rally — then the net pair must end it.
2.Chiquita read drill: partner plays chiquitas at your feet. You must low-volley them cross-court. This builds the 'feet read' — the key skill at A1+ net play.

Get SmashIQ video analysis

Upload a video of your net play and get frame-by-frame AI coaching. SmashIQ identifies contact point, swing path, and footwork automatically.

Join the waitlist

Padel Rating Calculator Americano Generator Find Your Padel Level What is a Bandeja?What is a Vibora?What is a Smash in Padel?Padel in UAE Padel in Saudi Arabia

Smash.

Technique: step by step

Take up correct net position

1–1.5m from the net, slightly inside the singles sideline. Your racket should be at chest height, not low by your side. Weight forward, ready to move.

Communicate with your partner

Anticipate, don't react

Watch your opponents' body position and racket angle, not the ball. Their body tells you where the ball is going 0.3 seconds before contact. Anticipation lets you poach.

Poach when the opportunity exists

If your partner is playing a strong shot and you can intercept the return, do it. Poaching wins points and disrupts opponents. It requires trust in your partner to cover your vacated position.

Deal with lobs correctly

A deep lob means you must retreat and smash or bandeja. A short lob means your partner can smash. Agree in advance: a partner call of 'mine' means you hold your net position.

Drills by level

1.Four-balls-at-net drill: two pairs at the net, rallying cross-court. No groundstrokes allowed. First team to hit the ball out of the net zone (past the service line) loses the point.
2.Poach drill: partner serves from the baseline, you poach the return. Start with 50% poach frequency and increase. The server's job is to create a poachable ball.

1.Net hold drill: play points where your pair can never retreat behind the service line — even for lobs. Forces the smash or let-it-bounce decision. Builds positional urgency.
2.Australian formation: serve from the centre line, partner crosses to cover the opposite side. Forces opponents out of comfortable return patterns. Works well in P2+ club play.

1.Counter-lob-to-volley drill: two pairs. One pair lobs; one pair smashes and returns to net. Lob pair earns a point by forcing an error or getting the ball past the net pair. Max 6 lobs per rally — then the net pair must end it.
2.Chiquita read drill: partner plays chiquitas at your feet. You must low-volley them cross-court. This builds the 'feet read' — the key skill at A1+ net play.

Net Play — Padel Drills

Technique: step by step

Take up correct net position

Communicate with your partner

Anticipate, don't react

Poach when the opportunity exists

Deal with lobs correctly

Drills by level

Get SmashIQ video analysis

Related drills

Net Play — Padel Drills

Technique: step by step

Take up correct net position

Communicate with your partner

Anticipate, don't react

Poach when the opportunity exists

Deal with lobs correctly

Drills by level

Get SmashIQ video analysis

Related drills