Padel doubles strategy revolves around communication, positioning and knowing when to attack or defend. The strongest teams move as a unit, control the net and use lobs to reset when under pressure. This guide covers the key tactical concepts: court positioning (one-up-one-back versus both-at-net), shot selection (lobs to push opponents back, bandejas to maintain net position), partner communication (pre-serve signals, mid-rally calls) and common mistakes (splitting up, abandoning the net under pressure, overhitting from the back). Drill these concepts before applying in match play. Last updated: April 2026.
Padel is fundamentally a team sport. You and your partner win and lose together, and the quality of your partnership - tactically, technically, and mentally - determines your results far more than any single shot in your repertoire.
We have broken down the core principles of padel doubles strategy into sections you can apply immediately. Some of this will seem basic if you have been playing a while. But we have watched enough club padel to know that the basics are what most players get wrong most often.
The fundamental rule: control the net
The team at the net wins most points in padel - typically around 70-80% according to coaching analysis. Watch any Premier Padel match and you’ll see this play out point after point.
That is not an opinion - it is the single most important tactical truth in the game. From the net, you dictate the pace, angle the ball down at your opponents’ feet, and force errors or weak replies.
Your strategic objective on every point is to get to the net and stay there. From the baseline, your goal is not to win the point outright - it is to earn the chance to come forward. That mental shift changes how you approach every shot from the back of the court.
Move Together: The Golden Rule of Positioning
Your pair should move as a unit. When you step left, your partner steps left. When you go forward, your partner comes with you. Breaking this principle creates gaps that your opponents can exploit immediately.
The most common positioning error we see at intermediate level is the split pair - one player at the net while the other stays deep. A split pair leaves the middle of the court dangerously open. Experienced opponents will hammer the ball straight down the centre every time.
At the net, stand approximately 2 to 3 metres from the net and slightly to your side of the court. Stay close enough to reach volleys comfortably but with enough space behind you to handle a deep lob.
Using the Lob: Your Most Important Weapon from the Baseline
When you are defending from the baseline, the lob is your most important shot. A well-executed lob achieves three things: it pushes your opponents back from the net, it gives you time to recover your own position, and - if deep enough - it forces an overhead from behind the service line where the angles are more difficult.
The lob is not a desperate shot. It is a strategic one. Use it deliberately rather than reactively. The best players at every level lob early in a rally to reset the positioning before their opponents have established net dominance.
A good attacking lob should be deep (landing within 1 to 2 metres of the back wall) and high enough to give you time to advance. A low, short lob is easy to put away with a smash. A deep, high lob off a back glass is a genuine problem for the net pair.
Net Play: How to Control Points Once You Are Forward
At the net, your aim is to hit the ball down into your opponents’ half - specifically at their feet or into the corners. Low volleys that land near the service box force your opponents to hit upward, giving you easy put-away opportunities.
Avoid hitting the ball hard and flat directly at your opponents’ bodies. A ball hit hard and straight gives them a clear rebound off the back glass. Instead, angle your volleys wide or dip them short and low.
The bandeja is the key overhead shot for maintaining your net position when a lob comes over. Rather than smashing aggressively, the bandeja returns the ball with control and topspin to the back corner, keeping you both at the net for the next shot.
Communication: What to Say and When to Say It
Clear communication prevents the two most common partnership errors: both players going for the same ball, and neither player going for it. Keep your calls short and immediate:
- “Mine” - you are taking the ball
- “Yours” - the ball is on your partner’s side
- “Switch” - you are crossing and your partner needs to cover your side
- “Lob” - warn your partner that a high ball is coming over you
Middle balls - balls that drop between you and your partner - are the most dangerous communication failures. Decide a default rule before you step on court: middle balls always go to the forehand player, or always to the player running forward. Whatever you agree, consistency beats improvisation.
When to Attack and When to Defend
Not every ball invites an attack. Learning to read when to press forward and when to absorb pressure is what separates intermediate from advanced players.
Attack when: your opponents are both behind the service line, you have a mid-court ball above net height, or your opponents have hit a short lob that sits up.
Defend when: you are at the baseline and your opponents hold the net, a ball is at knee height or lower, or you are out of position. In these moments, use the lob or a low driving shot at feet level to reset the point.
Many beginners try to attack from bad positions and give the point away. Patience from the baseline is a genuine weapon. Your opponents need to win the point - you just need to keep it alive until they give you a chance.
The Return of Serve
The return of serve is one of the most underrated skills in padel. A good return puts your opponents immediately on the back foot and gives your pair a chance to advance to the net early.
Aim to return low - at the feet of the incoming server - or deep down the line to keep them from coming to the net comfortably. A short, loopy return that floats up gives the server an easy volley to put away.
Do not try to hit a winner off the return. Your first goal is a controlled, low ball that starts the rally on your terms.
The Smash: Use It Wisely
The smash is exciting but it is also the most misread shot in padel. Many beginners treat every overhead as a smashing opportunity. Experienced players know that a mistimed smash from mid-court goes straight into the net or gives their opponents a rebound off the back wall to work with.
Use the full smash (aimed out of the court, over the back fence) only when you are close to the net and the ball is sitting up at shoulder height or above. For deep lobs, the bandeja or vibora is the right response - control first, aggression only when you have the position to back it up.
Drills to Improve Your Doubles Play
Improving as a doubles team requires deliberate practice beyond just playing matches. Here are three drills that target the core skills of doubles padel.
The mirror drill builds positioning habits. Both players rally from the baseline while maintaining parallel positioning at all times. If one player moves left, the partner moves left too. The goal is to develop the instinct to move as a unit without thinking about it. Do this for five minutes at the start of each session.
The net transition drill focuses on the most important movement pattern in padel - getting to the net together. One pair starts at the baseline, the other at the net. The baseline pair must work the ball until they create an opportunity to move forward together. Rotate after every five points.
The communication drill is simple but surprisingly effective. Play a normal set, but before every shot, the non-hitting player must call out a suggestion - “lob”, “cross”, “down the line” or “yours”. This forces constant verbal communication and teaches both players to think one shot ahead.
