Lob technique: timing and contact point

What this lesson covers

The lob serves to gain the net position rather than to defend from a stretched position. Players often mistake the tennis approach of lobbing under pressure for the padel objective of forcing the opponents back. Wait for a short ball from the opponents before executing the lob to ensure control and minimize the risk of a short return that invites an attack.

Contact the underside of the ball to create a high, controlled trajectory. Unlike the tennis stroke that brushes the side of the ball to generate spin and kick, the padel lob requires a direct strike underneath the ball. This produces a trajectory that drops into the back of the court without kicking off the glass, keeping the opponents pinned at the back while the team moves forward.