The MOST Underrated Shot That ALL The Pro Padel Players Do!
Do you want to know the shot that all the best and pro padel players use? The shot that most people ignore and disregard?
Enter the shot into the fence/cage, this can be one of the most devastating shots when played correctly.
Now there are 3 common mistakes with the cage/fence shot, and this is why a lot of people don’t use it.
By the end of this blog post, you will know the mistakes to avoid, and will be playing the shot like the pro padel players do.
Let’s go.
What Is The Shot To The Fence?
This is the shot when we receive a high ball and rather than playing our flat smash/kick smash or bandeja, we instead play a smash into the fence.
It is one of the most underrated shots, yet all the pro padel players use it.
Why is the shot to the fence so good?
- Easy to do
- Very unpredictable for the defender
- The ball can come down fast off the fence and die
- Mixes up your shot selection
That video shows you what this shot looks like, in this case, the ball hits the wall just after the cage, still a very effective shot, opponents struggle to read if it is going to hit the wall or the cage.
The pro padel players use it because it keeps the opponents guessing and not knowing what you are going to do with a high ball.
Mistake 1: Getting The Pace Wrong
The pace of your shots is crucial all the time in padel, but with this shot, it is very important that the pace is just right.
What pace should you have?
Medium pace.
Too slow, and the defender can get there before the ball hits the fence and it will be easy to return.
Too fast, and it is really hard to get the accuracy right. A lot will go out.
Look at the video clip below, you can see the pace that I play the shot at, you should copy this pace!
The pro padel players play this shot at this pace.
Mistake 2: Getting The Height Wrong
The smash into the fence is not like the bandeja, you need to take the smash to the fence at a very high contact point.
This helps your control a lot, and we are not trying to get the ball to die like we would with a bandeja, but instead to bounce and then hit the cage.
A lot of people take this shot too low, and it causes the ball to go long and it over complicates the shot as they have to get the timing perfectly right.
Reach for the ball
Instead of letting the ball drop, try and reach for the ball.
You can even contact above your head to get a little bit of topspin on the ball so that it kicks up at the wall.
You don’t HAVE to play with topspin, you can just play flat if that is easier. Both will be effective on court.
The image below, shows how the player is contacting really high so that he can play to the cage with a lot of control.
Mistake 3: Getting The Position Wrong
Don’t go for this shot at the wrong time, only go for it when the right ball is played. When you get a very deep high ball, play the bandeja or normal overhead.
Why?
Because it is a lot harder to get the ball to hit the fence from this position. It has a high chance of hitting the net or going out.
Hit this ball when you get a high ball that is closer to the net, and the angle becomes a lot easier to play.
Look at the images below, they show when it is the best place to play the smash into the cage.
Quite close to the net, and the angle has opened up for the player to smash into the fence.
The pro padel players DON’T go for this shot at the back of the court.
Extra Tips For This Shot
This shot can be SO effective, so here are some extra tips for it:
- Stay relaxed
- Arch your back slightly
- Finish the shot (strike all the way through the ball)
- Add a wrist snap for some extra pop (optional)
Conclusion - The Pro Padel Players Use This Underrated Shot All The Time!
Overall, consider adding this to your shot selection!
The benefits are huge:
- Keeps the opponent guessing
- Mixes your game up
- Can be lethal if it comes off the cage right
Hope this helped!
“The Most Underrated Shot All The Pro Padel Players Use” – Ewan Ramsden
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