Backhand
The backhand is the shot played on the side of the body opposite to your dominant hand. For a right-hander, that is the left side of the body. In padel, backhands appear most often as volleys at the net and as wall-recovery shots from the back of the court. Confident backhand play is one of the clearest markers between beginner and intermediate level.
What is a backhand?
A backhand is any shot taken on the non-dominant side of the body. For a right-handed player, balls coming to the left of the body are backhands.
In padel, the backhand can be a one-handed or two-handed shot - both are legal and both are used at the top level, though most players favour two hands for back-court backhands and one hand for net volleys.
When do you use it?
Backhands appear on every shot category in padel. Defensive volleys at the net are usually backhands when the ball comes to the non-dominant side. Wall recoveries from the back glass on the non-dominant side require a backhand. Some servers also serve with a backhand grip to get extra spin out of the side glass.
How to play it
Use a continental or eastern backhand grip. Step toward the ball with the dominant foot, turn the shoulders so the non-dominant shoulder points at the ball, and contact the ball in front of the body. Two-handers add the off-hand on the grip below the dominant hand for stability. The follow-through finishes across the body.
Coach tip: Two-handed backhands are usually easier for beginners because the off-hand stabilises the racket. Switch to a one-hander only when your wrist and grip strength can hold the racket-face steady through contact.
Common mistakes
Beginners tend to play backhands as defensive shots, slicing them softly back across court. That hands control to the opposing pair. The fix is to commit to the backhand as a full shot - drive through the ball with the same intent as a forehand, even from a defensive position.
