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Basic shots for your first game: forehand, backhand, volley and serve
For your first game you do not need a bandeja, a víbora or a smash off the glass. Four basic shots are enough — plus knowing when to use each. Here they are, in plain words.
Contents
Find a court →In short
- Forehand and backhand: short swing, contact beside-and-in-front of the body, follow through to the target.
- The volley at the net is a block without a swing, not a full shot.
- The serve is underhand, after a bounce, diagonal.
- Smashes and special shots are not needed in game one — stability first.
The main secret of a first game: in padel the winner is not the harder hitter but the steadier returner. All four shots below are about control, not power.
01Forehand: your main shot
The forehand is the shot from your dominant side. In padel it is more compact than in tennis: a short backswing, contact beside-and-in-front of the body, a soft follow-through towards the target.
The classic beginner mistake is a big tennis swing: on a small court you simply will not have time. Keep the elbow close to the body and the racket at the height of the expected bounce.
Beginner forehand formula: short swing → contact in front → follow through to the target. No power needed — the court is short.
02Backhand: easier than in tennis
The padel backhand is hit with one or two hands — whichever feels natural. Thanks to the short, stringless racket it is far easier than a tennis backhand: less mass, less inertia, more control.
The key is the shoulder turn: turn side-on to the ball before it bounces and the shot comes naturally.
Do not fear the backhand: in padel it forgives far more than in tennis. Just turn side-on in time.
03Volley: a block at the net
The volley is a shot before the bounce, hit at the net. The main thing to understand: it is a block, not a strike. No swing — the racket is already in front; you just present it to the ball and guide it.
Keep the racket at chest height, elbows in front. The goal of a first-game volley is to return the ball deep, not to finish the point.
Volley = present and guide. The smaller the movement, the steadier the result.
04Serve: starting the rally
The padel serve is hit underhand, after bouncing the ball, below waist height, diagonally into the opponent’s service box. You get two attempts.
For a first game a simple reliable serve to the middle of the box is plenty. No spin, no pace — a double fault costs a point, and aces barely exist in padel.
A reliable serve beats a strong one: your job is to start the rally and take your position.
05What you do NOT need in game one
The smash, bandeja, víbora and glass exits look great in highlight reels but will only get in your way in game one. Those shots require reading rebounds and positions — that comes with play.
Once the four basics feel stable, move to the full technique breakdown in the Improve Your Game section.
A first game is four shots plus the desire to play. The rest of the technique can wait.
FAQ: common questions
Do I need a coach to learn the basic shots?
Not for the first game — the basics click on court. But 1–2 sessions with a coach speed up progress and prevent bad habits.
How is the padel forehand different from tennis?
A much shorter swing: the court is half the size, so there is no time for a big backswing. Control beats power.
How should I hold the racket?
The universal starter grip is the continental (“hammer”) grip. It works for forehand, backhand and volley without changing grips.
What if the ball flies past me to the glass?
Do not panic and do not lunge: turn, let it rebound off the glass and play it after. That is normal padel.
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