How to play padel one against one

Cómo jugar al pádel uno contra uno

Pedro Muñoz Martín |

Like a cyclone, destroying everything in its path. This is how paddle tennis broke into racquet sports. And among the many changes it introduced, the almost obligatory game in pairs was one of those stirring variations. 

Accustomed to individual racquet sports, paddle tennis imposed the game in pairs as a regulated modality. A peculiarity that delighted most. Being able to get together with your group of friends with paddle tennis as an excuse or meet new people to compete against on the court. Both options have made us like the padel as a distinctive sport. However, the sociable component is not always possible, which is why individual paddle tennis was introduced. 

What is individual padel? 

1 vs 1 padel is a variation of traditional padel. As its name indicates, individual paddle tennis consists of the confrontation of two players on the same paddle tennis court. Likewise, modifying the number of players does not alter the regulations of the sport. 

The rules are the same as those applied to paddle tennis in pairs and there is only one transformation of the game: the measurements of the court. 

Although the changes are minimal, the jump to one-on-one padel is significant. Players have to make all the decisions on the court, cover all spaces, assume the defensive and offensive role and play forehand and backhand. In short, a greater effort to cover the entire field. 

An individual paddle tennis match allows the player's technique to be polished. With smaller measurements, you will have to look for blows with your shovel more precise, where your rival cannot arrive in time. The fast game sharpens the resistance and physical intensity of the match.

How do you play padel 1 vs 1?

The trust placed in your padel partner disappears completely in individual padel. Single padel is played analogously to padel in pairs. The height of the net, the measurements of the crystals or the height of the line are preserved from normal padel. 

What is an individual padel court like? 

One of the first impressions when entering a padel court is the feeling of a tube. The reason is that the width of the individual paddle tennis courts is reduced to 6 meters. Thus, we went from the 20 meters long by 10 meters wide of the traditional courts to measurements of 20x6 meters in 1vs1 paddle tennis courts. 

Crossed individual padel

The availability of individual paddle tennis courts has proliferated in recent years. However, the number of these still does not equal the volume of traditional padel courts. Given the lack of adapted courts, new game variants have emerged to play paddle tennis for two people. 

This is the example of crossed individual paddle tennis, a modality practiced on courts with classic measurements. The game is played diagonally, that is, each player throws the ball crosswise to his opponent. 

There are hardly any rules in individual crossed padel so you and your opponent can define how to play individual crossed padel, determine the rebound zone or set the limits of the game. 

Individual paddle tennis and crossed paddle tennis, two examples that show that you can also enjoy paddle tennis when you can't find a playing partner. But, including fewer players doesn't make it any less fun. Both options have a certain appeal thanks to their pace of play, perfecting strokes or the challenge of facing a paddle tennis match without a partner by your side. How many more reasons do you need to practice 1vs1 padel? 

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