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A lob goes over your partner at the net. You are at the net too. What now?
One goes back, both go back. Never leave the pair split front and back.
You are both at the net. A good lob goes over your partner's head and they have to run back for it. Do you stay?
One goes back, both go back. Never leave the pair split front and back.
Why
Padel is played side by side. When a lob takes your partner back, you go back with them and you defend together; when your partner's lob takes the net, you come forward with them. The one-up, one-back shape is the one to avoid at all costs: the opponents can hit past the net player into the huge gap in front of the back player, or lob the net player again, and the two of you cannot cover for each other. Being in the wrong place together beats being in the right place alone.
What this means at your level
Beginner
Rule of thumb: you are always on the same line as your partner. If they go back, you go back.
Intermediate
As you retreat, drift toward the middle rather than straight back. You are covering the diagonal until your partner has hit.
Advanced
Read the lob early. If you can see it is going over your partner before it reaches them, you are already moving back and the pair never looks split.
Common questions
You are both at the net. A good lob goes over your partner's head and they have to run back for it. Do you stay?
Go back with them, so you defend together. One goes back, both go back. Never leave the pair split front and back. Padel is played side by side. When a lob takes your partner back, you go back with them and you defend together; when your partner's lob takes the net, you come forward with them. The one-up, one-back shape is the one to avoid at all costs: the opponents can hit past the net player into the huge gap in front of the back player, or lob the net player again, and the two of you cannot cover for each other. Being in the wrong place together beats being in the right place alone.
Why not move to the middle of the net?
You are still at the net and they are still at the back. The shape is broken until you both go back or both come forward.
What should a beginner do here?
Rule of thumb: you are always on the same line as your partner. If they go back, you go back.
How does this change for an advanced player?
Read the lob early. If you can see it is going over your partner before it reaches them, you are already moving back and the pair never looks split.
Puzzles like this one
Both of them are at the net. What is the highest-percentage ball?
Only the lob moves a net pair backwards. Everything else invites them forward.
intermediateYour partner got pulled wide. Where do you stand?
The pair moves like one body. When your partner is pulled wide, you take the middle.
beginnerYou have served. Where do you go?
In padel you serve in order to get to the net. Serve, then go.