Every new pair has the same chat at the back of the court. "Do you want left or right?" Someone shrugs. Someone says "I don't mind". And you play the whole set on a side that might not suit you.
This page fixes that. First, what each side is actually responsible for. Then a 10-question self-score that points you one way or the other. Then how to settle it as a pair.
I make clothes, I'm not a coach. I've played at clubs across London, Essex and Manchester, but the side roles below come from coaching sources, linked at the bottom.
First, which side is which
Stand at your baseline, facing the net. The right half is the right side. The left half is the left side. You'll often hear the right called the drive (forehand) side and the left the revés (backhand) side, from the Spanish.
The rules only care about one thing here: who receives. Under FIP Rule 8, the receiving pair decide in the first game of each set who receives first. That player takes the first serve of every game, which always comes from the server's right (Rule 6.5), so they receive on the right. The order can't change until the next set. Strictly, Rule 3.2 says the receiver and their partner can stand anywhere on their half. In practice, the right-side receiver plays the right half and their partner plays the left.
The choice matters most at 40-40 if you play golden point, and my golden point guide covers that moment. For the rest of the rulebook, see the padel rules sheet.
What the right side does
Think of the right side as the builder. Coach Alberto Pulido, in an interview with All For Padel, calls this player the brain of the pair: the one who controls the game and reads how the rally is going. One skill he says they need is playing with different speeds and angles.
What that means on court:
- Takes most first balls. The right-side player usually takes the first ball after the serve and keeps it deep and awkward.
- Stays solid. The Padel School puts it simply: the right side sets the point up so the left side can attack.
- Handles the harder lob. Most lobs come over the left shoulder. On the right, that ball comes over your body, which makes it tougher to get set for an overhead.
- Plays the middle on the backhand. For a right-hander, any ball down the centre lands on your backhand side. You need to be fine with that.
What the left side does
The left side is traditionally the finisher. Pulido says this player takes a more offensive role and keeps their strong hand in the centre of the court.
What that means on court:
- Owns the middle. A right-hander on the left has the forehand in the centre, so most balls down the middle are theirs, including middle lobs.
- Gets the friendlier overhead. That lob over the left shoulder arrives on the open side, so there's more time to set up a bandeja.
- Moves across. The left player sometimes cuts into their partner's half to intercept.
- Closes points. The job is to step in at the right moment and finish.
One honest caveat. Pulido also says the two profiles are getting closer in the modern game. So treat these as tendencies, not job descriptions.
Before you start: left-handers
If you're left-handed, the court flips. Your forehand side is the left. A left-hander paired with a right-hander usually goes on the right, so both forehands cover the middle. Pulido says a left and right-handed pair is often seen as having an advantage, for exactly that reason. If that's you, you can mostly stop here. Two left-handers play a mirror image of two right-handers, so take the quiz with forehand and backhand swapped.
The 10-question side test
Pick A or B for each. Go with what you actually do, not what you'd like to do. Count your As and Bs at the end.
- A long rally starts. A: I'm happy to keep it going and wait for a mistake. B: I'm already looking for the ball to finish it.
- Which shot do you trust more? A: a deep lob. B: a bandeja or overhead.
- A ball comes down the middle. A: I'm fine taking it on my backhand. B: I want it on my forehand.
- The first ball after your partner's serve comes back. A: I like playing it and setting the point up. B: I'd rather wait for a chance at the net.
- How do you win points? A: by mixing pace, soft then deep. B: by hitting the one shot that ends it.
- Your partner's half. A: I stick to my own lane. B: I love cutting across to steal a volley.
- Your feet. A: steady more than quick. B: quick sideways and backwards.
- The big point. A: I'd rather make them play one more ball. B: I want the ball in my hands.
- Overheads in your pair. A: my usual partner has the more reliable one. B: I do. Reliable, not biggest.
- The test set. Play one set on each side and count your unforced errors. A: fewer on the right. B: fewer on the left.
Question 10 is the one that matters most. Pulido's advice is to try both sides and pick the one where you feel comfortable and miss fewer balls. Everything else is a guess until you've done that.
Your score
- 8 to 10 As: you're a right-side player. Patient, steady, happy to build.
- 6 or 7 As: you lean right. Start there and keep a few sets on the left in your pocket.
- 5 and 5: you're the flexible one. Let your partner choose and fill the other side.
- 6 or 7 Bs: you lean left. Ask for it, but earn it on question 10.
- 8 to 10 Bs: you're a left-side player. Make sure your bandeja is as steady as your smash.
Settling it as a pair
You both take the test. If one of you leans right and the other leans left, you're done.
If you both lean the same way, run through these in order and stop at the first clear answer. The order is Padel Browser's pair checklist:
- One left-hander in the pair? They go right.
- Whoever has the more reliable overhead goes left.
- Whoever moves better side to side and likes to poach goes left.
- Whoever is calmer on the first ball after the serve goes right.
- Still tied? A set each way, and count the errors.
Then don't lock it in forever. All For Padel closes the same Pulido interview by advising you not to be too fussy about sides and to keep improving on both. Partners change, and the player who can cover either half is the one who gets asked to play. If you're newer to the game, my padel tips for beginners are a good next read.
A tee for each side
This bit is just for fun. Right-siders spend the whole rally reading the other pair, so they're the first to ask if that last ball landed in. That's why the Focus tee, the WAS IT IN WAS IT OUT eye chart, suits them. Left-siders are usually the first to book the next game, so Padel Addict fits.
Both are 305 g/m² heavyweight cotton at £48, and any two £48 tees are £90 at checkout in the 2 for £90 tees. That's over £75, so UK delivery is free. The fit is oversized, so size down if you want it regular. My sizing guide has the detail.
FAQ
Which side should a beginner play in padel?
Padel Browser suggests starting on the right, because the main job there is steady, deep, cross-court play, and that's the base of the game. But try a set on the left early on. Knowing what your partner faces makes you a better right-side player.
Is the left side for the better player?
Not by any rule. The left has traditionally taken the more offensive, point-finishing role, which is where that idea comes from. Pulido says the gap between the two roles is smaller than it was. A better question is who has the more reliable overhead and who moves best across the middle.
Can you swap sides during a padel match?
Not within a set. Under FIP Rule 8, the receiving order is decided in the first game of each set and can't change until the next set starts. Between sets you're free to switch, which makes it a good time to test question 10.
Which side should a left-handed player play?
With a right-handed partner, usually the right. That way both forehands cover the middle of the court. Two left-handers play a mirror image of two right-handers, so the pair checklist above still works, with forehand and backhand swapped.
