Drive or backhand? On which side should you play Padel?
Are you starting to play Padel and don't know which side you should be on? For all those who are wondering this, we bring you this article prepared by our friend Pedro Pérez Allica from Padelzoom that will be very useful to make a great decision when laying the foundations of your game:
Choosing the right side in Padel can become a frequent "problem" when playing with friends, or even worse when we sign up for a match organized by the club or with people we don't know. This situation can generate different clashes, the most frequent and main one is that the majority (especially at low levels) want to play on the wrong side because it is usually the side where theoretically most attacks are made . However, if the physical condition and the technical and tactical level of the game do not match, that can end in disaster. This will be revealed if there is a very noticeable difference in level between the members of the couple themselves. Another problem is that once the sides are assigned, the drive player (with spirit or desire to play on the backhand) covers the middle a lot, taking balls from his partner on the backhand, which most likely end in precipitation or direct failure.
Of course, all this is always easier to figure out if we are honest with ourselves and our level, but it is true that this is something difficult to quantify. So, if you are still not clear about your playing style, you don't quite feel comfortable in a specific position, or you are a versatile player, we give you some keys to know how to choose which side of the court to play on.
The lefty always to the right
This is an impeccable maxim, and it also makes life easier for us when choosing a side of the game. Lefties always play to the right , and there are several compelling reasons to support this statement. The area of the track where the most play is generated and shipments are received is the center. Our best shot, due to physiognomy and technical ease, are the forehand shots. Therefore, if both backhands are against the wall (where we are going to receive fewer balls) the center of the court will be covered by the best shot of both players. Without forgetting the clear passing game, since, just as it happens from below, the lobs will always be more frequent in the center, both players being a threat from above. It is for these reasons that left-handed players are always so coveted , as is the case in many sports, since they bring a natural offensive addition, by inverting the idea we have of a right-handed opponent, posing a new challenge for our game.
The aerial game commands
The player with the best passing game should always play the reverse . This is so because naturally the displacement and the body when executing blows from above are much easier and more natural on this side. Imagine for example an easy ball to the left of the driver. If the player on the right attacks her (remember that the ball is on her side of the court) she has to do a high backhand volley, a shot that is very difficult to execute and is more of a resource than an offensive weapon, or move on his back until the ball is left to his right, which will leave his entire side of the track free. As we can see, neither of the two options is very convenient, and that is because that hit corresponds to the backhand player , who is in charge of covering the middle of the court and a little more, especially in shipments from above.
the backhand volley
In this case we are going to talk about the drive player, since he will be the one destined to occupy this place on the court if he is the one with the best backhand volley of the pair . As in the previous points, this is also determined by the center of the court. Although many balls will come from the backhand partner who will attack with his forehand volley, most of the shipments that come to us playing on the drive will have to be defended, blocked and attacked with a backhand.
Who remains better?
We must start by saying that this factor is not so decisive since the implementation of the golden point , which is not only carried out by professionals, but has also been imposed in most amateur and federated competitions. But if you play “old fashioned”, the backhand player will receive the most advantages, that is, the most decisive points. That is why we will look for our safest remainder to be placed the other way around, to ensure that he returns the ball with guarantees. In addition, it would be ideal for him to be a player capable of supporting and handling the pressure that these points represent.
Identifying the "weakest" player
This point is controversial, because we do not want to explicitly say that the best player in the pair must always be the reverse , but rather that the one of the two who has the most characteristics to play the reverse must occupy that position. And this will benefit the couple. Because in competition, many times the rivals isolate the best rival player, taking away the volume of the game and attacking his weakest or worst-level teammate (what is known as a fridge). In this case, the backhand player will always be able to give him a cable by entering through the middle, or covering his back in the lobs that exceed him. If the positions were changed, and the good guy was on the right, it would be much more difficult (if not impossible) for him to help his partner on the backhand, since he would have to run almost off foot, and with his high backhand volley (almost the only blow he could make) will hardly be able to win any points.
Take into account the physical form
As we have been explaining, the player who occupies the backhand position has a greater deployment and physical wear and tear, since he monopolizes more field and therefore greater volume of play. It is important to have a physical form that allows us to reach all those balls that correspond to us, being able to occupy the middle and even helping the drive player in some lobs that exceed his left shoulder. Therefore, the player who is more athletic and has greater physical abilities should be the one who occupies the backhand position in the pair.
you can always change
Remember that if things are not going well due to results, fatigue or simply because of sensations, you can always change positions . For this you have to know the regulations and know when these changes can be made, and this is at the beginning of each set. But between sets you can make or break the Australian, since the regulation only specifies on which side you must subtract, so in your serve you can also exchange positions.
