Padel glossary
5 min read · Updated
Padel grew up in Spanish and Argentine clubs, and the vocabulary travelled with it. You will hear these terms everywhere from Malmö to Manchester, usually untranslated. Here is what they all mean.
Shots
- Bandeja
- "Tray". A controlled overhead played at around shoulder height with slice, hit out in front like carrying a tray. It is not a winner — its job is to keep the pressure on and keep you at the net. The single most important shot in padel above beginner level.
- Víbora
- "Viper". A more aggressive cousin of the bandeja, hit with heavy side-slice so the ball skids low off the side glass. Harder to control, much harder to return.
- Remate / Smash
- A flat overhead hit for a winner. Effective, but it surrenders your net position if it does not end the point.
- Chiquita
- "Little one". A soft, low shot played to the feet of the opponents at the net, forcing them to hit upwards. The main tool for escaping defence.
- Globo
- A lob. The primary way to push opponents off the net and take it yourself. Underused by beginners, constant among good players.
- Bajada
- A shot played off your own back wall as the ball drops after rebounding — literally "coming down".
- Contrapared
- Playing the ball into your own side wall so it rebounds over the net. A last-resort defensive shot.
Situations
- Por tres
- "Through three". A ball hit so hard off the glass that it leaves the court. Where the club allows it, you may run out through the gate and return it before the second bounce — the most spectacular point in padel.
- Por cuatro
- The same idea, but the ball leaves over the higher four-metre fence. Rare and near-impossible to return.
- Doble pared
- Double wall — the ball rebounds off the back glass and then the side glass, or vice versa, before you play it.
- Punto de oro
- Golden point. A sudden-death point at 40–40 instead of playing advantages. The receiving pair chooses who takes it. Very common in social play and leagues.
- Saque
- The serve. Underarm, below waist height, after bouncing the ball behind the service line.
Positions and tactics
- Revés / Drive
- The two sides of the court. The revés (backhand) side is the left for right-handers and is usually the more tactical player; the drive side is the right, generally the more aggressive finisher.
- La red
- The net. Controlling it wins most points at every level, which is why so much of padel tactics is about getting there and staying there.
- Salida de pared
- Wall exit — the movement and timing of playing a ball that has rebounded off the glass. The core skill that separates improvers from intermediates.
Common questions
- What is a bandeja in padel?
- A controlled sliced overhead played at shoulder height, hit out in front as if carrying a tray. Its purpose is to maintain pressure and keep you at the net, rather than to win the point outright.
- What is the difference between a bandeja and a víbora?
- Both are sliced overheads. The bandeja is safer and more controlled, played to keep you at the net. The víbora is hit harder with more side-spin so it skids low off the glass — more aggressive and harder to control.
- What does por tres mean?
- A ball that leaves the court after rebounding off the glass. If the club allows it, you can run out through the gate and return the ball before its second bounce.
- Which side should I play, left or right?
- Right-handers on the left (revés) side usually play the tactical, lobbing role; the right (drive) side is typically the finisher. Most players develop a preference within a few months.