Padel Glossary
Every padel term explained — from bandeja to vibora. The complete A-Z guide to padel terminology.
Subscribe for weekly padel knowledgeAce (Saque Directo)
An unreturnable serve that wins the point outright, without the receiving player making contact with the ball.
Advantage (Ventaja)
The point after deuce in traditional scoring, giving one pair the chance to win the game on the next point.
Back Position (Posición de Fondo)
The defensive position near the back wall where players work to regain the net.
Back Wall (Fondo)
The back wall of the padel court, featuring glass in the lower section and mesh above, central to padel's unique wall-play mechanics.
Backhand Side (Revés)
The left side of the padel court, typically played by the player with the stronger backhand or who is left-handed.
Bajada
An overhead shot played after the ball bounces off the back wall, allowing a player to attack from the baseline and move forward to the net.
Bandeja
A controlled overhead shot hit with underspin from the net position, used to maintain offensive positioning while neutralizing lobs.
Changeover (Cambio de Lado)
The switch of court sides between teams, occurring after every odd-numbered game in a set.
Chiquita
A low, soft shot aimed at the opponents' feet when they are at the net, forcing them to volley upward and creating an opportunity to attack.
Contrapared
A shot played off your own back wall before the ball crosses the net, turning defensive wall rebounds into controlled returns.
Counter-Attack (Contrataque)
Transitioning from a defensive position to an attacking one by exploiting opponents' mistakes.
Cristal
The glass walls of the padel court that allow the ball to bounce back into play.
Cross-Court (Cruzado)
A shot directed diagonally across the court to the opposite corner.
Defensive Lob (Globo Defensivo)
A high lob played from the back of the court to buy time and reset the point.
Diamond Racket (Pala Diamante)
A diamond-shaped padel racket with a high balance point, designed for maximum power.
Double Fault (Doble Falta)
Two consecutive service faults, resulting in the automatic loss of the point.
Down the Line (Paralela)
A shot hit straight along the sideline toward the opponent on the same side.
Drive Side (Derecha)
The right side of the padel court, typically played by the player whose forehand faces the center.
Drop Shot (Dejada)
A soft, delicate shot played from the net that barely clears the net and dies low, forcing opponents to sprint forward from the back of the court.
Gancho
A hook shot played behind the body off the back wall, turning a defensive position into an attacking opportunity.
Golden Point (Punto de Oro)
A deciding point played at deuce with no advantage, used in most professional padel to speed up matches.
Let
A serve that touches the net but lands in the correct service box, replayed without penalty.
Lob (Globo)
A high defensive shot hit over the opponents' heads to push them away from the net and buy time to reset the point.
Main Draw (Cuadro Principal)
The main tournament bracket featuring the top-seeded and qualified players.
Malla
The metal mesh or fence sections of the padel court enclosure, found above and alongside the glass walls.
Master Final
The end-of-season championship event featuring the top-ranked pairs in the standings.
Net (Red)
The net dividing the padel court, standing 88cm at the center and 92cm at the posts — slightly lower than a tennis net.
Net Approach (Subida a Red)
Moving forward from the back of the court to take an offensive net position.
Net Position (Posición de Red)
The attacking position near the net where players control the point with volleys and overheads.
Offensive Lob (Globo Ofensivo)
A lower, more aggressive lob aimed at moving opponents off the net.
Overgrip
A thin wrap applied over the original grip of a padel racket for better feel and sweat absorption.
Padel Ball (Pelota de Pádel)
A pressurized rubber ball similar to a tennis ball but with slightly lower pressure for slower bounce.
Pala
The padel racket, a solid-faced bat with no strings, made of composite materials with a perforated hitting surface.
Pista
The padel court, a 10m x 20m enclosed playing area surrounded by glass and mesh walls.
Playing the Wall (Jugar la Pared)
Letting the ball hit the back or side wall before returning it.
Por Cuatro
A powerful shot that exits the court over the back glass or through the back fence, ending the point outright.
Por Tres
A powerful shot that exits the court through the side door or fence opening, making it unreturnable.
Premier Padel
The official international professional padel tour sanctioned by the FIP (International Padel Federation).
Protector
Adhesive tape applied to the frame of a padel racket to prevent damage from wall and ground contact.
Qualifying Rounds (Previas)
Preliminary rounds before the main draw where lower-ranked players compete for spots.
Remate
The general term for any overhead finishing shot in padel, encompassing smashes, bandejas, viboras, and other aerial attacks.
Return of Serve (Resto)
The shot played in response to the serve, one of the most important moments in a padel rally that sets the tone for the entire point.
Round Racket (Pala Redonda)
A round-shaped padel racket offering maximum control and a large sweet spot.
Rulo
A topspin lob disguised as a flat shot, designed to sail over opponents and kick aggressively off the back glass.
Serve (Saque)
The underhand serve that starts every point in padel, hit diagonally from behind the service line into the opponent's service box.
Service Box (Cuadro de Saque)
The rectangular area on each side of the court where the serve must land, divided by the center service line.
Service Line (Línea de Saque)
The line parallel to the net that marks the back boundary of the service boxes, located 6.95 meters from the net.
Set
A set in padel, won by the first pair to reach six games with a two-game lead, or via tiebreak at 6-6.
Side Wall (Lateral)
The side walls of the padel court, combining glass panels near the back corners and metal mesh sections toward the net.
Smash
A full-power overhead shot aimed at finishing the point outright, hit with maximum force to drive the ball out of the court or make it unreturnable.
Teardrop Racket (Pala Lágrima)
A teardrop-shaped padel racket offering a balance between power and control.
Tiebreak
A special game played at 6-6 to decide the set, won by the first pair to reach 7 points with a 2-point lead.
Vibora
An aggressive overhead shot hit with sidespin that kicks off the side glass, making it extremely difficult to return.
Volley (Volea)
A shot hit before the ball bounces, typically from the net position, and the foundation of offensive play in padel.
X4 Drill
A popular padel training format where four balls are played in sequence focusing on different patterns.