As a relatively new padel player, my very basic strategy has been to try and win points with as few shots as possible. The reason being, I made many unforced errors, and hitting fewer shots meant fewer chances to lose the point with unforced errors. The trouble was that my aggressive volleys would get returned really easily by even moderately skilled players. I needed to change something, and that something was learning to play a setup volley.
The setup volley in padel is a tactical shot that is played quite softly and with slice-spin so that the ball stays low after bouncing beyond the service line. The objective is to both push your opponent out of position and force a weaker return that can be hit aggressively for the winner.
Let’s take a closer look at the mechanics of a setup volley and why it is an important skill to use for winning more points.
Why Is A Setup Volley Important
As we all know, a padel court is smaller than a tennis court and surrounded by four walls. The fact that the ball can rebound off a wall means that there is even less court to cover.
When we are at the net we need to be patient and use a setup volley to push an opponent out of position and open up the space we need to win the point.
Playing a setup volley allows us to control the point and force a weaker shot from our opponents.
What Exactly Is A Setup Volley
A setup volley is the kind of volley that you will use to push your opponents out of position and force a weaker return that you can dominate on the next volley.
Often the setup volley is played quite softly and with some slice spin. The idea is for the ball to bounce beyond the service line and stay low, dropping quickly down after it connects the back wall.
The perfect setup volley will force your opponent all the way to the back of the court and have them play a weak ball back to you so that you can then play your aggressive, winning shot.
The Problem With Too Many Aggressive Volleys
When you play an aggressive volley, hitting the ball hard, it will bounce back much further after hitting the back wall of the court. It is even more so if you play your volley with a flat racket. This is the way that tennis players play their volleys and tend to play their padel volleys in the same way.
When you do this all your opponents need to do is let the ball pass and play the easier shot when the slower moving ball comes back to them off the back wall.
If you continually play your volleys in an aggressive manner it becomes easier for your opponents to predict how the ball will rebound and get into position to play the very easy shot you have given them.
Why Slice-Spin Is Important With A Setup Volley
As I have just mentioned, playing a volley with a flat racket, tennis-style, will allow the ball to bounce back nicely off the back wall. If you use topspin the ball bounces up and away from the back wall, making it even easier for your opponents to wait for the ball to come back to them.
Conversely, if you use slice-spin the ball will tend to drop down to the ground as it comes off the back wall. This means that your opponents will need to retreat all the way back to flush against the wall to return a ball that is near the ground.
The result will likely be a soft ball coming back to you with your opponent right back against the back wall – exactly where you want them so that you can exploit the extra space on the court to your advantage.
More Than One Setup Volley Might Be Needed
It is entirely possible that your opponents will be able to scramble back a reasonable shot from your setup volley.
Even though they have managed a reasonable shot, they will still be somewhat out of position. Instead of rushing ahead with an aggressive shot against this first reasonable shot, rather follow up with another setup volley to push your opponents even further out of position and force the weaker return that you will be able to punish.
The Tactic Of Using A First Volley Down The T After A Wide Service
One tactic is using the setup volley as you come to the net behind a service that you have played wide is to put your first setup volley down the T.
It is an easier volley to control and it will force the player who has just made the wide return of service all the way back against the wall in the center.
This will leave one side of the court completely open for your next volley.
Obviously, you can’t keep repeating the same tactic for every first volley so as soon as it seems that your opponent is starting to anticipate your setup volley down the T, switch to playing a first setup volley into the corner and make the second setup volley down the T.
Be Patient And Wait For The Easy Ball To Play Aggressively
The great part about playing setup volleys is that you can use them to put your opponents under pressure without trying to play difficult shots.
Remember that your aggressive shot that you play for a winner won’t always be the shot you play after your first setup volley. You may need to play several setup volleys before you are able to force a weak ball back from your opponents that you are able to punish.
The key is to be patient and not to rush into your aggressive shot. Continued setup volleys will eventually force either a weak enough ball for you to punish or your opponents will make an error, winning you the point anyway.
Using A Drop Shot As An Alternative To The Aggressive Volley
When you have played your setup volley down the T and the weaker ball comes back to you in the center of the court then a drop shot down toward the fence will be a viable option when your opponent is right at the back of the court nearer the center.
The drop shot is a great alternative to use – especially when your opponents start anticipating hard, aggressive shots from you.
If you want to learn more about the type of drop shot to use, especially as a relatively inexperienced player then check out this article I wrote on World Padel Insider about playing the drop shot. It is the type of drop shot that has a high percentage of success and a minimal chance of error.
