How to use Glass and Fences during a Padel Game?
It often happens that we come across amateur players, often former tennis players, who play padel almost as if the glass and fences did not exist, always trying to anticipate the ball and mistaking our beloved sport for a sort of mini-tennis. Needless to say, there is nothing more wrong: firstly because by doing so they miss out on much of the fun and secondly because especially the glass, if used correctly can be of great help during a game. In this article we will analyze and explain the main behaviors to be adopted to make the most of these two fundamental parts of a padel court.
Glass
Learning how to use the glass in the correct way is the first step in transforming yourself from a tennis player to a padel player so much so that you will soon notice the difference and understand that thanks to the glass you will be able to slow down the game, gain time and be better positioned to play a more incisive stroke.
So, from today you have no excuses and when the ball crosses the service line, stop anticipating it, take a breath and let it bounce off the glass. What to do at this point?
Depending on the type of shot that comes to us you will need to prepare for a different type of wall exit:
Low wall exit: in this case it is important to stay close enough to the glass by staying low with both the center of gravity and the racket so as to optimize timing and be on time at ball impact to play a lob or a shot to the body of the player at the net.
Medium wall exit: in these cases the shot preparation and body position can rise slightly while remaining low overall. In this wall exit I can decide based on the speed of the ball whether to play a lob or a more aggressive shot: if I will have more time to position myself and the ball stays low enough, the first option is advisable, otherwise one can push the ball more and look for a more incisive shot.
High wall exit: in case I am overrun by a lob bouncing against the glass, I may find myself in the situation of playing a high wall exit: in this case the preparation will be high (similar to that of a smash) and when the ball is at shoulder height and in front of me, I can play an aggressive wall exit. Here I can decide whether to play backspin, power or placed at the corners depending on the position of the players at the net and my confidence and dexterity with the racquet.
These were the wall exits using the backspin glasses but as you can easily imagine, the situation becomes slightly more complicated on the corner glasses, in which many more variables intervene and for which we will make an article or adhoc video soon.
What matters most is that you can use these tips on any padel court and on any type of wall: ours, for example, are made of ComfortGlass, a 12mm acrylic compound that provides for the first time the ultimate in safety for players on the court, since it is indestructible but has been studied and tested in the laboratory to provide a rebound identical to classic tempered glass as is clear in this video.
The fences
On fences the situation definitely changes, since their surface is not as uniform as that of glass and therefore provides a bounce that is always random and unpredictable.
So how to behave when we realize that our opponent's shot is about to impact the fences? Let's see.
Impacting the fence, the ball can do mainly three things: go upward, head toward me or fall downward. The third of these options is the one that usually puts players in the most difficulty, and for this reason it is important to assume a position that, in the event that this scenario occurs, will help us retrieve the ball.
The position that should be held involves standing fairly close to the fence, positioning yourself behind the ball with your center of gravity low and your racket very low and with the surface facing up.
In this way you will be able to defend even the most unpredictable of bounces, and the fences will no longer be a problem.
Again, this advice is applicable on all types of padel courts, including ours, which as you now know are made of Fiberglass. Fiberglass fences, in addition to providing a super cushioned impact for players, are designed in compliance with all the parameters imposed by the IPF in terms of size and thickness in order to ensure a bounce that is always random and unpredictable, as required by the game of padel (you can see a prove on this in this video)
Now that you know this subject well, all you have to do is run out onto the court and put these lessons into practice. Are you ready to transform yourself from a mini-tennis player to a padel player?
