Padel Volley Technique: The Racket-Face Chart for Block, Punch, Low and Drop Volleys

October 25, 2026

A volley is any shot you hit before the ball bounces. The LTA describes being up at the net as the more attacking position, where volleys and smashes put the other pair under pressure, and says most points are won there. So once you can get forward, your volleys decide a lot of points.

Most volley tips are about the swing. This one is about the racket face, because the angle of the strings at contact decides where the ball goes. The Padel School sums it up in one line: open the face and the ball goes up, close it and the ball goes down. Everything below builds on that.

We make clothes, not coaching plans. The technique here comes from the LTA, The Padel School and two UK padel websites, all listed in the sources.

Three words before the chart

Square: the face is upright and pointing where you want the ball to go.
Open: the face is tilted back, strings facing a little towards the ceiling. The ball rises.
Closed: the face is tilted forward, strings facing a little towards the floor. The ball dips.

What every volley shares

Before the face angle matters, the basics have to be there.

Continental grip. The Padel School says to keep it at the net.
Racket up, in front. The LTA says to hold it at the height you'll make contact, ideally above the net. The Padel School wants it vertical in front of you, not held horizontally.
Short path, contact in front. The LTA's advice is to push the ball with a much shorter racket path than a full swing. Step in with your opposite foot and meet the ball out in front.
Back to ready. Padel Underground's rule: the racket comes back to chest height after every volley.

The racket-face chart

Volley	Use it when	Racket face	Aim for	Next move
Block	A fast ball comes at you and there's no time	Square to the ball, a touch open, firm wrist, almost no swing	Angled to the side and low	Racket straight back to chest height. You've survived the pace, now reset
Punch	An easier ball at waist to chest height	Flat at contact, with a short push forward	Deep, bouncing past the service line	Stay at the net. A deep ball pushes them back and buys you time
Low	The ball is below the height of the net	More open than usual, so it lifts over the tape	Deep and safe, with room over the net	Don't rush in. If it floats up, take a step back, get balanced, then come forward again
Drop	Your opponents are stuck deep	Open, with the grip relaxed at contact to soak up the pace	Just over the net	Use it rarely. It works because they don't expect it

Block volley

This is your survival shot. The LTA describes the block as a more defensive volley, used when you are returning a fast shot. Padel Underground's advice is to redirect the ball rather than hit it: angle it to the side and keep it low, with a minimal swing and a firm wrist.

The face stays almost square. The ready position has it slightly open already, so you don't need to add anything. If you react late to a fast ball with the face open, it goes up. That's the back glass, or an easy ball for them.

Punch volley

The LTA and Padel Underground call this one the push. You've got an easier ball and a bit more time, so you send it deep to put the other pair under pressure. Padel Underground describes a short punch forward with flat contact, aimed at the back third of their court.

Flat is the key word. A slightly open face gives you a little lift for depth. Close the face and the ball heads down, which is how a lot of volleys end up in the net.

If you're unsure where to aim, go through the middle. The LTA calls playing down the middle "really safe", and says it can confuse the other pair because they both go for the ball.

Low volley

A ball below the height of the net can't safely be hit down. RacketRise says to open the face more than usual so the ball lifts over the net, and to bend your knees deeply rather than folding at the waist. The Padel School says the same about the legs: when the ball is low, you go low.

Treat it as defence. RacketRise's aim is to keep the ball in play and land it deep. If it pops up short, Padel Underground suggests stepping back, getting your balance, and only moving forward again once the danger has passed.

Drop volley

The Spanish name is dejada: a soft shot, usually with backspin, that drops very close to the net. RacketRise describes the face opening up and the grip relaxing at contact, so the racket absorbs the pace instead of adding to it.

Save it for when your opponents are deep. RacketRise says to play it sparingly and unexpectedly. Played every time, it just becomes a short ball they're waiting for.

One more: the fizz

The LTA's third type is the fizz, an attacking volley with spin on a slower ball. Padel Underground describes the racket brushing slightly down and across the ball. The LTA explains why slice helps: cutting under the ball creates backspin, which lowers the bounce and makes it harder to play off the walls. It's a shot to add once the four above feel solid.

When the face goes wrong

Each miss has a pattern, and each one points back to the face.

Ball flies to their back glass. The Padel School's most common error: the face is too open and you're reacting late.
Ball goes into the net. The Padel School says it often comes from trying to play a difficult ball too fast. On the backhand, Padel Underground blames a collapsing wrist. The LTA's backhand fix is a firm wrist with the racket slightly open.
Always late. The Padel School says a low racket leaves no time for the right swing. Keep it up between shots.

Coming from tennis? A few habits from that game cost points here. The guide to tennis habits that lose padel points covers the rest.

One drill to make depth automatic

The LTA has a simple one. One pair starts at the net and the other at the back. The back pair starts the point. The net pair's volleys must bounce past the service line. After three volleys, play the point out. Only the net pair can win it. If the back pair win the rally, they swap to the net.

It forces the punch volley to go deep every time. If you can't get to the net in the first place, start with how to get to the net in padel. For the wider basics, see padel tips for beginners.

Kit that keeps the face where you set it

Every row in that chart depends on the face staying at the angle you chose. On a block the ball arrives hard. If the handle turns in your hand, the face turns with it, and a square block becomes an open one.

A fresh overgrip gives your hand something to hold. Padelism overgrips are sweat-absorbing and come as a 3 pack for £7 or a 6 pack for £12. New to fitting them? Here's how to fit a padel overgrip.

For after the session, our heavyweight tees are 100% cotton, 305 g/m2, with an oversized fit. Size down if you want a regular fit. They're £48 each, and any two are £90 at checkout.

FAQ

Which padel volley should I learn first? The block. It's the one you'll play most when the ball comes fast. RacketRise estimates it makes up 60 to 70% of volleys. Get it reliable with an almost square face and no swing, then add the punch.

Should a padel volley have backspin? Often, yes. The LTA says cutting under the ball creates backspin, which keeps the bounce low and makes it harder for the other pair to play off the walls. Padel Underground says the punch is hit flat. The fizz and the drop volley use more spin.

Why do my volleys keep hitting the back glass? Usually an open face and a late reaction, according to The Padel School. The ball goes up instead of forward. Get the racket up and in front sooner, and keep the face nearer square on fast balls.

How do I volley a ball below the net? Bend your knees and open the face more than usual so the ball lifts over the tape. Aim deep and safe rather than trying to hit a winner, then reset before the next ball.