Academy · Glossary
Padel glossary
45 padel terms defined — from shots and formats to organisations and player ratings.
A
- Ace
- A serve that wins the point without the returner making contact with the ball.
- Americano
- A social padel format where players rotate partners each game, so everyone plays with and against everyone else. Points are individual.
- Approach shot
- A shot played as you move forward toward the net to take an attacking position.
B
- Bajada
- A controlled drop shot or descending ball played after a lob, typically angled toward the glass to force a difficult return.
- Bandeja
- A signature padel overhead shot played with a pan-flat grip, used to keep the ball in play and maintain net position rather than attempting an outright winner.
- Bounce and glass
- When a ball bounces off the floor and then the back or side glass before being returned — a legal and strategic part of padel.
- Box league
- A competitive league format where players or pairs in a small group (box) all play each other, with winners promoted and losers relegated.
C
- Check-in
- On TrustPadel, a check-in is when a player confirms they have visited a club, contributing to the club's community vibe score.
- Chiquita
- A low, fast shot hit cross-court at the feet of the opposing net player, intended to prevent them from volleying aggressively.
- Closing the net
- Moving together as a pair toward the net to take an attacking position after a good lob or defensive shot by opponents.
- Court
- A padel court is 20m x 10m, enclosed by glass walls and metal fencing. It is smaller than a tennis court and the walls are part of play.
D
- Double fault
- Two consecutive failed serve attempts, resulting in the point being awarded to the receiving pair.
- Drive
- A flat, powerful groundstroke aimed to pass through or at the feet of the opposing net players.
E
- Enclosure / Fence
- The metal mesh fencing that surrounds the upper portions of the padel court walls. The ball can be played off the fence.
F
- Fault
- A serve that does not land in the correct service box, hits the net, or touches the side/back glass before landing.
- FIP
- Federation Internationale de Padel — the world governing body for padel, responsible for international rules and the World Padel Tour qualification pathway.
- Footfault
- A serve where the server's foot crosses the service line or centre mark before the ball is struck.
G
- Glass walls
- The transparent panels forming the back and lower side walls of a padel court. Balls can be played off the glass as part of normal rallies.
- Golden point
- At deuce (40-40), some competitive formats use a sudden-death golden point instead of advantage scoring to speed up play.
- Governing body
- An organisation that regulates padel in a specific territory — for example the LTA in Great Britain, the FIP globally, or the WPT for professional tour events.
H
- Head-to-head
- The historical record of results between two players or pairs in competitive matches.
K
- Kill
- An aggressive smash designed to end the point outright, usually directed toward the back glass or out of reach of the opponents.
L
- Level 1–7
- The standard player rating scale used in the UK (and similar systems globally). Level 1 is the highest competitive standard; Level 7 is an absolute beginner.
- Lob
- A high, arcing shot over the opposing net players designed to push them back toward the glass and reverse the attacking advantage.
- LTA
- Lawn Tennis Association — the national governing body for padel and tennis in Great Britain, responsible for rating, competition, and development.
M
- Mexicano
- A social round-robin format where, after the first round, players are paired with someone of a similar score, creating competitive balance as the session progresses.
- Mixed doubles
- A match format where each pair consists of one male and one female player.
N
- Net position
- Standing close to the net to maximise attacking options — the dominant position in padel, contrasted with the defensive back position.
P
- Padel
- A racket sport typically played in doubles on an enclosed glass-and-mesh court. It combines elements of tennis and squash and is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.
- Padel group
- A multi-venue club brand or operator that runs several padel facilities under the same name or company.
- Pala
- The Spanish term for a padel racket. Padel rackets are solid (no strings) and perforated, typically made from carbon fibre or fibreglass.
- Par 3 / Par 4
- Informal terms used in some club ladder systems to describe match lengths or formats, not related to golf.
- Pass
- A shot played past or through the net players to win a point outright when they are in an advanced position.
R
- Rally
- The sequence of shots exchanged between both pairs after the serve, ending when one side fails to return the ball legally.
- Rating
- A numerical or banded classification of a player's skill level. In the UK, the LTA uses a Level 1–7 scale; internationally, WPT and FIP maintain their own rankings.
- RFQ
- Request for Quote — on TrustPadel, businesses and clubs can submit RFQs to equipment and service providers.
S
- Serve
- The underarm shot used to start each point. In padel, the ball must be bounced before being struck and must land in the diagonally opposite service box.
- Smash
- A powerful overhead shot hit downward, typically used to end a rally when the opponents have lobbed. In padel, smashes are often directed toward the back glass rather than for outright winners.
- Spin
- Rotation applied to the ball using the racket face to alter its flight and bounce — topspin, slice, and sidespin are all used in padel.
T
- Tie-break
- A game played to seven points (or ten in a match tie-break) to decide a set when the score reaches 6-6.
- Tray shot
- See Bandeja — named for the tray-like flat angle of the racket face during the shot.
- Trolley
- Informal term for a ball cart or hopper used to hold balls courtside during practice or drills.
V
- Vibora
- An advanced spinning smash where the racket is brought across the body to impart heavy sidespin. The ball kicks sharply off the glass, making it very difficult to return.
- Volley
- A shot struck before the ball bounces, typically played at the net. Net volleys are a central part of attacking padel play.
W
- WPT
- World Padel Tour — the top professional padel circuit, featuring the highest-ranked players competing at international tournaments.