One of the things I have started noticing when watching tournaments on the World Padel Tour is that sometimes some of the players use a double-handed backhand before reverting back to the more common single-handed backhand. That got me thinking about the difference between the 2 different ways of playing the backhand and if that could help me improve as a padel player.
Double-handed backhands generate more power and single-handed backhands allow more control. You only use your shoulder to generate power for a single-handed backhand whereas adding a second hand allows you to use your stronger back muscles as well.
Let’s analyze the key differences between the 1 handed and 2 handed backhands so that you can see when one might be preferable over the other.
You Are Allowed To Use A Double Handed Backhand
Not only is it permitted, but it is also totally acceptable to play the double-handed backhand in padel.
In fact, you will see some of the elite professional players on the World Padel Tour using a double-handed backhand from time to time.
Since starting to play padel I have only used a single-handed backhand, but having struggled with returning services that are tight against the side glass of the court I have started practicing a double-handed backhand to try and improve this weakness in my play.
Double Handed Backhands Help When You Lack Strength
When you play the forehand you are able to use the large muscle groups in your back to create power. Whereas, when you play the backhand you rely almost solely on your shoulder muscles. Any power you generate on the backhand comes from your rear deltoid. For most of us, this is also the weakest of our deltoids.
For this reason, many players who lack shoulder strength can benefit from adding a second hand to their backhand. This is especially true for young junior players.
By using two hands for your backhand you allow the back muscles on your non-dominant side to assist your shoulder muscles.
Tennis Players Find It Easier To Transition Their Double Handed Backhand To Padel
Most tennis players use a double-handed backhand and keeping that shot from tennis makes it easier for them to transition to padel.
I used to play a lot of squash so that made the single-handed backhand easier for me to use when I started playing padel.
The Double Handed Backhand Generates More Power
You can generate a lot more power when playing a double-handed backhand. This is useful when you want to play a hard shot low over the net that will put your opponents under pressure. Think of this as your backhand version of your power-forehand.
When you are returning a service that is tight against the glass you will likely not connect the ball in the sweet spot of your racket. Using a double-handed backhand in this situation allows you to hit with more power to compensate for hitting the ball nearer the frame of your racket.
One thing to remember is that the trade-off for getting the extra power from a double-handed backhand is less reach. This means getting yourself into a position closer to the ball in order to have control over your shot.
Single-Handed Backhands Allow For More Control
Conversely, playing a single-handed backhand gives you a lot more control over the shot-making it a great option for volleys and lobs.
The notable exception on the World Padel Tour is Pablo Lima who plays his backhand lob with both hands.
Another time when a single-handed backhand is a better idea is you need to lunge at full stretch to block back an attempted passing shot.
Padel Requires Less Power Than Tennis
As you most likely know by now, a padel court is quite a bit smaller than a tennis court. In addition, when we play padel we stand well in from the baseline and therefore much closer to the net than we would if we were playing tennis.
This means that playing padel needs less power to get the ball over the net.
Another factor that makes using power not as important is that in padel we can have a ball that has bounced off the back wall and is moving forward. In this instance, less power is needed to help the ball along its way back across the net.
When playing a backhand in those situations that require less power, the single-handed backhand will often be the better choice. For this reason, the majority of padel coaches only teach the single-handed backhand so as not to make the learning process too complicated, especially for beginners.
The Types Of Spin Generated By Single vs Double Handed Backhands
What I have noticed when trying to play a double-handed backhand is that my wrists tend to roll the racket-face over the ball generating topspin.
Topspin is great when you want to whip a tight cross-court return of service towards the fence where the bounce will be unpredictable.
However, when you play straight up the court a topspin ball will bounce back further after connecting the back wall making things easier for your opponent.
By comparison, my natural wrist action when playing a single-handed backhand tends to slide my racket-face under the ball, putting slice spin on the ball.
Perhaps it is just bad habits or a lack of wrist flexibility but I have always found it difficult to create topspin with a single-handed backhand and slice spin with a double-handed backhand.