Tips for getting out of a bad patch in a padel match

A padel match usually has several phases, usually consisting of ups and downs. While it would be amazing to win every match easily, the reality is that there are so many factors that can affect performance - from the type of wall, the temperature, and not least, the opponents on the other side of the net

There will be times during a match that you will suffer a dip in form and things will go against you. In those moments, it is key to have the tools to break that bad patch and get back to winning points as quickly as possible. Let’s take a look at how to do that.

Be reflective and think

When we hit a rough patch during a match, we must be reflective and think about the reasons why things are not working. It's no good getting "trapped", trying to get out of it with complicated shots or resigning ourselves to thinking that today is not the day and giving the match away. Once we have thought about it and reflected on it, we have come to the conclusion that our bad run can be due to two main factors: our opponent, or our mistakes.

Our rival is also out to win

In this case, if we have a good feeling on the court, but the score is being very adverse, it is usually due to a bad reading of the match. We should create a new strategy, change the pace at which we are playing and the shots we are taking.

A small "legal trick" that we could do to stop this avalanche of rival play would be to slow down the start of each point both when we serve and when we receive.

Playing high lobs can also generate doubts in the minds of our opponent as they think about their next shot, as well as taking advantage of external circumstances such as the sun or the wind (if there is any).

Making unforced errors

This is often caused by a lack of concentration on our part. Creating a strategy, a basic pattern will help us to regain concentration, an example could be to focus the game towards the same player of the opposing pair.

If the bad streak is only affecting one of the pair, a good option is to put the focus on, and play more shots to the opponent in the diagonal side of the net. In doing so, you can put your opponent under pressure and also take some of the stress off your partner who is in a bad patch to give them some valuable time to regain their focus.

We usually look for the explanation for our mistakes in the impact with the ball, but it is more likely that the biggest reason why we miss a shot is due to a lack of adjustment prior to playing it, or bad support prior to the shot. The most common reason for an unforced error is relaxing too much or lack of movement.

If we solve this, many of these errors can disappear, and we get back to winning ways!