English
It would be unthinkable in Spain. But in Holland, we are forced to deal with it: rain, wet floor, wet ball and wet walls. Quite often, and without much anticipation, a sunny and comfortable padel session may transform into a dreaded gray and humid padel match. And we will continue to play padel because “… we are not made of sugar…”, as it is commonly said in the country.
But playing on these special conditions change the dynamics of the rally. The ball slides on the floor. It feels heavy and difficult to handle. The ball drops fast after hitting a glass made wall. This is not an easy task for the typical padelplayer. However, a well-trained “padelista” will turn this dreaded conditions to play on his favor.
In this series of articles I share with you tips that will help you win more “wet” matches and have more fun.
How to Attack
Stay at the net
Typically, during normal playing conditions, I would advise you to try to hold the attacking position. Today, I will ask you to hold the attacking position at any cost! Yes, that much. What is the reason behind this? Very simple: attacking is much easier than defending on any conditions, and all the more when playing with a wet wall or ball. Therefore, hold your position at the net! One practical thing that you can do to achieve this is to try to smash even the deepest lobs that your opponent may play on you. Afterwards, try to retake your attacking position.
The walls, your best friend
Playing a ball after bouncing on a back or side wall is more difficult than usual when the wall or ball are net. So, how do you use this on your favor? Simple force your opponents to do exactly that. Volley deep to the center. Most likely your opponent will not be in time to take the ball before bouncing on the back wall. Another opportunity to bring trouble to your opponents is to volley fast in the direction of the side wall. Every time you receive a ball near the fences, make an effort to cross it and make it bounce on the side wall.
Extra tip
A padel racket that features a rugged face can increase the grip between the ball and the racket. This can facilitate your control over a wet ball. Check for example the Dunlop Gravity -I am currently playing with this one- or the Star Vie R9.2 DRS Carbon Aluminium Soft.
Read my next article to learn more about attacking on “wet” conditions.
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