Padel does not have one forehand and one backhand. The PSA 52 Shots System begins with 16 groundstrokes: eight forehand situations and eight backhand situations shaped by direction, rebound and court position.
Naming the variations helps coaches diagnose the exact situation instead of giving one generic correction to every ball.
Players improve faster when they understand what the ball and walls require before selecting the technical response.
Why there are 16 groundstrokes
The forehand and backhand foundations remain consistent, but movement, spacing, preparation and contact change when the ball comes directly, opens away, closes toward the body or rebounds from one or two walls.
Eight forehand and eight backhand situations give the coach a complete checklist for direct balls, wall defense, wall combinations and turning patterns.
Direct, opening and closing balls
A direct ball asks the player to create distance before the bounce. An opening ball travels away and requires movement into space. A closing ball moves toward the player and demands an early adjustment to prevent crowding.
Many so-called swing problems disappear when the player reads whether the ball is opening or closing and moves accordingly.
Using the back and side walls
The wall is not an emergency. It can slow the ball, create space and give the defender another contact opportunity. Players must read speed and angle before choosing to play before or after the rebound.
On two-wall balls, the order of contact changes the exit path. Identify the first wall early, move away from the predicted rebound and let the ball enter the usable contact window.
- Back wall: create space and allow the ball to travel.
- Side then back: read the opening angle and move with the rebound.
- Back then side: protect against the closing path.
- Turn or 360 response: use only when reading and spacing make it safer.
What coaches should observe
Observe the decision first: did the player choose before or after the wall correctly? Then check the first step, distance, preparation, contact and recovery.
Patience does not mean standing still. It means allowing the ball to travel while the feet organize the correct space.
The 16-shot diagnostic drill
Feed each groundstroke situation on both sides and ask the player to name the rebound before moving. Use five balls per variation and score recognition, movement, clean contact and recovery.
Train the four lowest-scoring situations with ten quality repetitions each. Reach 70% clean execution before adding targets, pressure and live decisions.
Part 18 of Julian Wortelboer’s Technical Pillar series, developed from shots 1–16 in the PSA 52 Shots of Padel System.
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