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Your racket brushes the net after a winning volley. Does the point stand?
Touch the net, the posts or their side of the court while the ball is live, and the point is theirs.
You hit a volley that wins the point, but your follow-through brushes the top of the net while the ball is still in play. Whose point?
Touch the net, the posts or their side of the court while the ball is live, and the point is theirs.
Why
While the ball is in play, no part of you, your clothing or your racket may touch the net, the net posts or the ground on the other side. A volley can be a certain winner and still be lost if your racket brushes the tape on the follow-through before the ball has bounced twice or gone out. Two metres from the net is the right place to stand partly for this reason: close enough to hit down, far enough that a normal swing never reaches the tape.
What this means at your level
Beginner
Keep your volley swing short and stay a big step back from the net. There is nothing to gain by crowding it.
Intermediate
If you have to lean in for a drop volley, freeze the racket at contact. The follow-through is what touches the tape.
Advanced
You may reach over the net to play a ball that has bounced on your side and come back over on its own, as long as you do not touch the net: the one exception worth knowing.
Common questions
You hit a volley that wins the point, but your follow-through brushes the top of the net while the ball is still in play. Whose point?
Theirs: touching the net during the point loses it. Touch the net, the posts or their side of the court while the ball is live, and the point is theirs. While the ball is in play, no part of you, your clothing or your racket may touch the net, the net posts or the ground on the other side. A volley can be a certain winner and still be lost if your racket brushes the tape on the follow-through before the ball has bounced twice or gone out. Two metres from the net is the right place to stand partly for this reason: close enough to hit down, far enough that a normal swing never reaches the tape.
Why not replay it?
There is nothing to replay. The rule is clear and the point goes to them.
What should a beginner do here?
Keep your volley swing short and stay a big step back from the net. There is nothing to gain by crowding it.
How does this change for an advanced player?
You may reach over the net to play a ball that has bounced on your side and come back over on its own, as long as you do not touch the net: the one exception worth knowing.
What do the rules say?
A player loses the point by touching the net, the posts or the opponents' side of the court with any part of the body, clothing or racket while the ball is in play.
Puzzles like this one
They lobbed you deep. Smash it or play the bandeja?
Deep ball, high hands: bandeja. The shot exists to keep you at the net, not to win the point.
beginnerThe ball is at your feet at the net. What now?
A ball below the net cannot be attacked. Block it deep and wait for one above the tape.
beginnerCan you volley the return of serve?
The return of serve must bounce. It is the one ball in padel you are not allowed to volley.