Padelschläge: Überkopfschläge

Bandeja: cross-court

A sliced overhead from the net area, played to stay at the net rather than to win the point. Deep and low off their glass.

Bandeja: down the line

The bandeja played straight along the side wall instead of across the court, to the player behind you, as a change of direction.

Víbora

A faster overhead than the bandeja with heavy side spin, aimed into the side glass so it skids low and dies.

Víbora to the fence

A víbora aimed so that after the bounce it hits the side mesh, where it dies and drops unpredictably instead of coming off the glass.

Cuchilla

A flat, fast shot with side spin that blends the bajada and the víbora, usually played after the ball comes off the back glass high, so it skids low off the floor.

Flat smash

The full overhead hit flat and hard into the floor. In padel the back glass returns most flat smashes, so it is used to force a weak reply or to go out of the court.

Standing smash

A smash with your feet on or near the ground, the most controlled smash.

Jump smash

A smash struck in the air for a higher contact point, more angle and more pace.

Scissor-kick smash

A jumping smash with a scissor action of the legs, for balance on a ball that is slightly behind you.

Backpedalling smash

A smash struck while moving back. A bandeja is usually the better choice.

Around-the-head smash

A smash reaching across over your head for a ball on your backhand side.

Body smash

A smash aimed at an opponent's body, so they cannot get the racket on it cleanly.

Smash to the fence

A smash that bounces in the opponents' court and runs into the side mesh, where the ball dies or bounces unpredictably.

Smash to the back glass

A smash aimed to make an awkward rebound off the opponents' back glass, rather than to leave the court.

Soft overhead

An overhead played for placement over pace, to keep the net and wait for an easier ball.

Overhead drop shot

A soft overhead that drops just over the net while the opponents expect a smash and wait at the back.

Off-balance smash

A smash struck without a stable position. It is usually better to turn it into a bandeja.

Por tres (x3)

A flat smash that kicks so high off the floor that it leaves the court over the side wall. One that leaves over the back wall is the por cuatro, and one that bounces back over the net to your side is traerla.

Straight por tres

A por tres aimed down the line, so the ball bounces up and leaves the court over the side wall on that side.

Cross-court por tres

A por tres hit diagonally so the ball bounces up and leaves over the far side wall.

Controlled kick-out

A less forceful topspin smash meant to bounce up and leave through the side opening rather than to blast over the wall.

Side-exit smash

A smash aimed to bounce and leave through the side door, where the court has openings in the side walls.

Por cuatro (x4)

A smash so powerful that it leaves the court over the 4 m back fence after the bounce. A smash that comes back over the net to your own side is a different shot: traerla.

Traerla (bring it back)

A flat smash from close to the net hit so hard and high off their back glass that the ball comes all the way back over the net to your side, where the defenders cannot reach it.

Rulo

A topspin overhead that kicks high off their floor and back glass, usually played on a lob over your non-dominant shoulder and often aimed at the side fence (rulo a la reja). Names vary: some players use rulo for any topspin overhead.

Gancho

A hooked overhead from the middle of the court, usually by the left-side player, hit flatter than a bandeja to finish a short lob.

Kick smash

A full smash with heavy topspin so the ball jumps high off the floor and the back glass, pushing the defenders back or out of the court.

Sliced smash

A smash with slice that stays low after the bounce and comes off the back glass with little height, so the defender has to dig it out.

Fake smash

Shaping for a full smash so the defenders run back to their glass, then playing a soft drop shot just over the net.

Fake bandeja

Shape up for a bandeja, then change at the last moment to another overhead, such as a short ball or a víbora.

Fake volley

Shape up for a firm volley, then play it soft so the ball dies short.

Double fake

More than one change of shape before a single hit. Hitting the ball twice loses the point; the fake is only in the movement.

Remate

The Spanish word for the smash, and the umbrella name for any overhead hit to finish the point. Players add a word for the type, such as remate plano for a flat smash or remate liftado for a kick smash.

Reverse overhead

Not a fixed term. Players use it for an overhead struck on the other side from normal, most often a high backhand above the shoulder when a lob goes over your backhand side and there is no time to run round it.