How to Improve Your Padel Serve? Padel Technique

In this video we take a closer look at how to use spin and speed to make a more effective padel serve.

Players often complicate their service actions to try and hit more aggressive serves, but really the key is to keep the serve simple. The best serve is consistent and accurate. Some slice on the shot will keep the ball low and a medium fast speed will make it difficult to return. The higher the level, the more accurate the serves need to be, but also the better the opponents are likely to be at returning.

Players should practice getting the right slice on the ball, with simple technique, before they try to hit the ball too hard. Accuracy is more important than speed.

In tennis, players take baskets of balls to practice their serve, but in padel, players do not practice because they feel the technique is so simple. But actually, like tennis, it is the one shot a player has complete control over and is a great opportunity to start the point in an advantageous position.

Key: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

About the Coach
"The serve is the most under-practiced shot in the game. If players can hit an accurate and consistent first serve, it usually leads to them holding their serve... "

Sandy focused his attention from tennis to padel in 2010, learning the game with several trips and courses in Spain. His education in Sports Biomechanics, combined with playing and coaching at an international level (both in tennis and now padel) puts him in a great position to share his insights in the sport, hopefully helping others learn in the process.

[Seabra]

I play usually with 3 more friends that, like me, are inexperienced at Padel. This video made my serves a cut above the rest among my colleagues! Thank you for that 💪

[stevewhiteley]

When practising the serve, I like to move forward after I’ve hit it, as I would in a game. In your examples at the end, you’ve obviously got it well drilled but for those of us new to the game, I think it’s important to embed that need to move forward as you serve.

[Tuskan]

Very useful to show how to practice the serve at the end as well!

[davidkonevky]

Thank you for this video! As someone who is more familiar with tennis rather than padel, my serves always were awful because I never found the right spot of accuracy and technique when doing them.

[richardhill]

Great video. My serve is awful but this has helped a lot. I now have speed on the serve and just need to work on the variation. Thanks Sandy. Keep the videos coming and let’s get more Padel players!

[alisharaf.official]

Thanks so much! I’m enjoying watching your videos. My Q in here. Where should I be when I serve, and my partner so he’s not on my way?

[dimep.]

Wow, your accuracy is amazing on the last exemples serves! Thanks for the video, I'm doing like you said but still missing lot of first sirves. My second isn't just pushed but sliced slowly. I usually have too long first sirve, trying to be agressive but lacking accuracy. I guess it's because I want to come to the net too quickly and not enough loosed and relaxed on first sirve :-(.

[krheide]

Great video! Is it better to throw the ball towards the ground instead of just dropping it? Also, do you prefer to hit the ball slightly before it reaches its highest point after the bounce or at the highest point?

[clausnielsen]

I come from tennis and find it alot better serving wirh my slice baghand and move forward works really good 😉

[enricomonti]

Congrats mate, you are the only channel to do such a good job for Padel. Which cheap racket would you suggest to a beginner (I played tennis for 3 months)?

[AnIolar]

Unsure about wrist action during serve. Should it be loose and wristy or a firm wrist action? Great videos!

[Nevlandia]

Can you make a video on the "Pascal box". Or just mainly "ball storage". With maybe some examples on when to switch out balls and such

[Sambuccashake]

Hello! Finally a very good padel channel to sub too. Great tips for any level of player and straight to the point (no pun intended).

I've watched most of your other videos now and look forward to your upcoming releases!

Cheers!

Constructive feedback:
There is an element of movement here that you left out.
It is quite different to stand still and "target practice" the serve vs serving AND getting into position to impose yourself on the net.

It's important to focus on the serve so that it is executed properly and THEN run forward. But of course, it has to happen rather quickly otherwise the well placed serve may lack effect as there is now a space to return into.
And if the serve is hit with some pace there is even less time to get into position Vs the slower, and maybe more accurate, serve. Pros and cons of all shots as is very much the nature of padel. 🙂

Perhaps you can touch on this in a part 2 of this topic?

[pierrevangrootenbrill]

hey there, luv your tutos. I'm at beginner's level at the moment. I've been playing once a week over a month and really enjoy it to the point it made me want to buy my own racket. What would you recommend i start with, round shaped/ water drop shaped ? don't want to go with the diamond shaped now. I'd like to have more control of the ball first, i'm not too aggressive. My game is quite defensive and conservative though i like to slice (tennis table style). as for the weight, i'd like to go lighter but will it allow me to accelerate the ball should i ever decide to attack more ?
THX

[MartinDellaVecchia]

It would be interesting to cover position in the serve and the differences it makes being more in the centre than on the side

[brainer]

Also with more speed you need to be quicker to reach the net after your serve.
See alot of people serving hard and not moving up quick enough and gets the return right on their feet and loose pressure because of it.

[mrsesions]

Thank you so much! i just starting in this sport and your videos are very useful!

[wilhelmegeland]

I'm impressed! You managed to show six serves during a 5-min video. Way to go! Dude, less talk, more action...

[tomr]

Can you serve bounce in their box and then go into the side cage?!

[timvandermee]

Question about the serve, if you hit a net serve and the ball hits the fence. Do you play the first or second serve?