A Beginner’s Guide to Padel Tennis Terminology: Understanding the Basics

If you’re new to the world of padel tennis, you may feel a little lost in all the unfamiliar terminology that comes with the sport. But fear not, we’re here to help! In this article, we’ll break down the basic padel tennis terminology, so you can speak the language of the court with ease.

Let’s start with the basics

Padel tennis is played with a racket and a special type of ball on a court that’s about ¼ the size of a traditional tennis court. The court is surrounded by walls that are part of the game – players can use them to bounce the ball back into play. The game can be played as doubles or singles.

Scoring in Padel Tennis

Scoring in padel tennis is similar to tennis. The game is played best out of three sets, and each set is made up of games. To win a game, you’ll need to win four points and be at least two points ahead of your opponent. The point system works like this:

– 0 points is called “love”
– 1 point is called “15”
– 2 points is called “30”
– 3 points is called “40”
– If the game is tied at 40-40, it’s called “deuce”. From there, players need to win two consecutive points to win the game.

The Serve

The serve is one of the most important shots in padel tennis. It starts the point, and if done correctly, can put you in a strong position. The serve has a few different terms:

– When the server is ready to serve, they’ll say “Faulta”, which means “I’m serving”.
– The receiver will then say “Listos” which means they’re ready.
– The server must hit the ball into the service box on their opponent’s side of the court.
– If the serve hits the net and lands in the correct service box, it’s called a “let” and the server gets to serve again.

Other Shots in Padel Tennis

Here are a few of the other fundamental shots you’ll need to know:

– Smash: This is a powerful overhead shot that’s used to hit the ball downwards into your opponent’s court. It’s usually played when the ball is high and bouncing towards the back of the court.
– Lob: A lob is a shot that’s hit high and deep into your opponent’s court. It’s often used as a defensive shot when you’re in a difficult position.
– Bandeja: A bandeja is a forehand or backhand shot hit with a slicing motion, sending the ball low and skimming the wall.
– Vibora: A vibora is a forehand or backhand shot hit with an upward slicing motion which sends the ball up high towards opponent’s body or side.

The Court

The padel tennis court is rectangular, with the dimensions of 20 meters long by 10 meters width. There’s a net that divides the court in half and is positioned so it’s 88cm high at the ends and 92 cm high in the middle.

In Conclusion

We hope this beginner’s guide to padel tennis terminology has helped you to understand the basics of the sport. Like any sport, there are many more technical terms and jargon to learn as you become more experienced on the court, but by mastering these terms, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a confident player. So get out there and start practicing!