Smash.
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Smash.
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A shot that bounces off or near the metal fence boundary on the side of the padel court.
Definition
A fence ball is a shot involving the metal fence or mesh boundary that runs along the sides of the enclosed padel court, creating a playable element within the court dimensions. Unlike tennis sidelines, padel's side boundaries include fencing that can cause bounces if the ball barely clears the glass wall. A fence ball typically refers to a shot that glances the fence or lands inches inside the fence, creating an unusual bounce. Advanced players use fence-proximity shots to surprise opponents with sharp angles and unpredictable rebounds. Fence balls are legal as long as the ball has clearly crossed the fence plane and landed inside the court boundaries, making these tight shots both tactically valuable and technically challenging.
Origin: Specific to padel's enclosed court design with metal mesh sides; terminology emerged in Spanish padel circuits during the 2000s.
Used deliberately in advanced play to hit difficult angles near the side fence, exploiting the narrow court geometry.
If the ball crosses the fence plane and lands inside the court, it's in play. Consult court markings; many club courts have clear line references.
No—it's a legitimate tactical shot. Hitting the fence itself (not the ball) is a fault; the ball bouncing off fence is legal.
Practice drills