The padel glossary
Every bit of padel jargon you will hear on court in Manchester, explained in plain English. New to the shots? Our shots guide goes deeper.
Americano
A social format where you swap partners each round and score points individually, so everyone plays with and against everyone. The easiest way to turn up alone and get a full night of padel.
Bajada
A shot played off your own back glass after the ball rebounds, usually to reset a rally or counter a smash. Reading the ball off the glass is a core padel skill that tennis players have to learn from scratch.
Bandeja
A controlled, sliced overhead played with a smooth swing rather than full power. The go-to shot for keeping your pair at the net when a lob comes over, because it is safe and lets you hold position instead of gambling on a smash. The name means 'tray' in Spanish, after the flat swing path.
Chiquita
A soft, low ball played down to the feet of the net players, forcing them to lift it up so you can move forward. A patient attacking tool that turns defence into attack.
Contrapared
Using your own wall deliberately, playing the ball into your back glass so it comes back up for a team-mate or to buy time. Advanced defensive play.
Globo
The lob. A high ball floated over the net players to push them back off the net so your pair can take the front of the court. One of the most important shots in padel, not a last resort.
Golden point
Punto de oro. A single deciding point played at deuce instead of playing advantages, used in most leagues and tournaments. The receiving pair chooses which side takes it.
Let
A serve that clips the net and still lands in the correct box. It is replayed with no penalty, exactly like tennis. A net clip during open play, however, is played on.
Mexicano
A social format like an Americano, but pairings and matchups are set by your running score, so you end up playing people at a similar level as the night goes on.
Pala
The padel racket. Solid and stringless with a perforated face and a foam core, quite different from a strung tennis racket.
Por tres
Playing a ball that has bounced out through the gap by the net post and returning it into the court from outside. Legal at venues where there is space, and one of the most spectacular shots in the sport.
Remate
The smash. A flat, powerful overhead aimed to win the point, sometimes bouncing the ball up off the glass and out of the court.
The glass
The back and side walls of the court, made of toughened glass. The ball can be played off them after it has bounced on the floor, which is what makes padel rallies so long.
Tie-break
At six games all in a set, a tie-break is played to seven points, win by two, the same as tennis. Some social formats use it to settle a match quickly.
Vibora
A more aggressive cousin of the bandeja, hit with slice and sidespin so the ball skids and kicks awkwardly off the side glass. Viper in Spanish. Used to pressure opponents rather than end the point outright.