When I first started playing padel, it took all of my existing skill just to be able to play a return of service in a way that would get the ball back over the net to my opponents and to be able to continue the point. However, once I started watching the professional players on the World Padel Tour I started to realize that a lob return of service was a real possibility. I then set about learning exactly how and when to play the lob return of service.
Use an attacking lob as a return of service in padel when your opponent plays a weak service that lands in the middle of the service block, well away from the glass to gain the dominant net position for the point. Use a defensive lob if you are out of position and need time to get back in position.
Let’s take a detailed look at exactly when and how to play the different types of lob return of service so that you can win more points in your next game of padel.
Do You Have A Good Reason To Use The Lob Return Of Service In Padel
The first key question that you need to ask yourself is do you have a good reason to use a lob when playing your return of service in Padel. Do you just generally play a return of service using any shot available to you depending on where the ball is and maybe some of them just happen to be lobs? Or do you have a clear intention in mind?
This is key to becoming a better padel player. Until you can have some sort of clear intention in mind before you play your shots, you will always be at the mercy of whatever your opponents do and whatever ball comes in your direction.
I’m not saying that each and every single shot that you play needs to be planned out before the time. However, the sooner you can get some sort of clear idea in mind about what you are wanting to do during the course of a point the quicker you’ll be able to improve as a padel player.
What Is The Difference Between An Attacking Lob And A Defensive Lob In Padel
The key difference between an attacking lob and a defensive lob in the game of padel is that a defensive lob is one where you are playing the ball up into the air simply to buy yourself enough time to get yourself back into position. This usually happens after your opponents have played a very good shot and have pushed you out of position. This content was originally posted on worldpadelinsider.com. If it appears on padel-central.com, it is a violation of the copyright owned by Worldpadelinsider.com. You then play your defensive lob and while the ball is up in the air you can then move back into position to be able to deal with the next shot that comes back to you.
Conversely, the attacking lob is when the way you’re able to play the ball over the heads of your opponents to force them back so that you and your partner can come to the net very quickly while the ball is in the air and take up an attacking position of the court.
Obviously, it is easier to play an attacking lob when your opponents have played a relatively weak shot giving you time and opportunity to be able to choose exactly where you want the Ball to go when you play your lob.
When To Use A Defensive Lob Return Of Service In Padel
Use a defensive lob as a return of service if you are out of position and need time to get back in position. Most often this is in response to a good service played down the center and your corner of the court is left empty.
The most common time to play a defensive lob as a return of service in padel is when your opponent has played their service down the T, in other words down the center of the court.
In this situation, if you had to play a normal low return of service, your opponents would be able to exploit the fact that you are in the center of the court leaving your entire corner of the court completely exposed for your opponents to play an easy shot and potentially win the point.
Therefore in this situation, you will do better to play a defensive lob as a return of service. By this I mean you play the ball really high into the air so that you can use the time while the ball is in the air to get back into a normal ready position at the back of the court.
In most circumstances when the opponents play their service towards the side glass, it isn’t necessary to play a defensive lob simply because you are already only one or two steps away from your normal ready position at the back of the court.
It’s only when you are forced across to the center of the court that you leave a really big gap on your side of the court that your opponents can exploit.
When To Use The Attacking Lob Return Of Service
Use an attacking lob as a return of service in padel when your opponent plays a weak service that lands in the middle of the service block, well away from the glass. The attacking lob will force your opponents back and you can gain the dominant net position for the point.
The most common time to use the attacking lob as a return of service in padel will be when your opponents have played a weak service that lands more or less in the center of the service box. In other words, the service coming towards you is nowhere near the side glass or the centerline.
When this happens you are easily able to get into position and play a lob over the heads of your opponents and use the time for both you and your partner to approach the net and take up the attacking position on the court.
In the game of padel, strategically, holding the net position is normally the best way to be able to attack your opponents and win more points. Therefore it becomes imperative as the team receiving the service to be able to get yourself into a position where you can get to the net with your partner as quickly as possible. This content was originally posted on worldpadelinsider.com. If it appears on padel-central.com, it is a violation of the copyright owned by Worldpadelinsider.com. Using an attacking lob as a return service against a weak service is a quick and easy way to be able to get to the net with your partner to be able to exploit the situation and get yourself into an attacking position on the court.
Why You Need A Clear Intention When Playing The Return Of Service In Padel
As you can see from these two different examples that I’ve just given you, namely the attacking and defensive lobs that you can potentially use as a return of service in padel, it is clear that you need a very clear intention when playing the return of service.
If you do not have a clear intention you tend to be at the mercy of your opponents and whatever they decide to play at you. Therefore, when the ball comes to you and you need to pay your return of service and the ball is down the center you should already know that your best option here will be to play the defensive lob as a return of service to buy the time to get back into position and continue the point. Conversely, if your opponents play a weak service, use the attacking lob to be able to take the net position and put pressure on your opponents.
In both of these instances knowing what your options are before your opponent has played their service will help you to be able to make it kind of split-second decision that you would need to make in order to play a better return of service.
Improve Your Lob Return Of Service Using An Easy Tactic In Your Next Game
Here is an easy tactic that you can use the next time you’re playing padel, especially when playing a friendly game where the outcome is less important. It is a way of both improving your Lob as well as your lob return of service.
This is something that you can either discuss with your partner or is something that you can just do on your own.
For one entire set what you can do is make the conscious decision that on every single service that comes in your direction, your first shot will be a low shot. In other words, play down towards the feet of your opponents, and the second shot that comes to you will be a lob each and every single time.
Once that set is complete, irrespective of the outcome, change the tactic for the second set. Your objective for the next set will be to play your first two shots of a point on your opponent’s service down towards their feet and only play a lob on the third shot that comes back to you.
When you’ve played two sets in this manner, in other words when set playing a lob on the second shot that comes to you after a service from your opponent, and the second set playing a lob on the third shot that comes to you it is time to change tactics for the third set when your opponents are serving. In the third set, all you do is only play a lob each and every single weak shot that comes from one of your opponents. Play the other shots down low, resisting the urge to play hard winners from the back of the court.
The exception to this will be to play a defensive lob whenever your opponents play a service down the center of the court in order to be able to buy yourself the time to get back into position to continue the point.
Good luck implementing this new strategy and I hope it brings you many more points and much improvement for you and your partner over the course of your future games of padel.