Serve and first volley tactical positioning

Volley8:13Sep 21, 2026

Key takeaway from our Guru

How do I choose my first volley after serving?

If the return is low, play a drop shot to the fence. Always aim to keep the ball far from your opponent to maintain the advantage you gained with your serve.

What this lesson covers

The serve and the following volley dictate the flow of the point. Serving to the glass on the left side forces the returner to play from a defensive position, often back to the server's forehand. This setup allows the server to target the middle or the corner, keeping the opponent far from the ball. If the returner hits a backhand from the glass, the server should anticipate the trajectory and move to cover the court while involving their partner.

Serving to the T presents different challenges, as it may open angles for the returner to play a lob or a cross-court shot. When the return is low, below the net, the server should play a drop shot or a short volley to the fence rather than attempting a long, risky shot. The goal is to maintain the advantage gained from a strong serve by keeping the ball away from the opponent. Practicing these two shots in isolation helps players test their limits and refine their decision-making under pressure.

New lessons, in your inbox

We add lessons from the creators we learn from every week. Get the new ones, our racket reviews and what the creators are making, every other week.

Original video

Padel Drive

Added on Oct 25, 2026

PADEL TACTICS - The 2 Shots that Win (or Lose) 80% of Your Matches

Description

Most padel players spend their time practising volleys, overheads and smashes. But the shots that actually decide most points happen in the first two touches of every rally — the serve and the first volley. In this video I sit down with Hugo Cases, former World No.31, four-time Champion of Madrid and current World Padel Tour commentator, to break down exactly what happens tactically in those first two shots and what you should be doing differently. We cover what to do after serving to the wall, what to do after serving to the T, how your first volley position changes depending on where you served, and how to put all of it together in real game situations. If you want to understand why you keep losing points you feel you shouldn't be losing, start here. ⏱ CHAPTERS 0:00 — Intro 0:17 — Serving to the wall — volley options and positioning 1:59 — Serving to the T — volley options and positioning 3:54— Real game situations — applying the system under pressure 6:40 — Key takeaways 🔑 KEY CONCEPTS Padel serve and volley · Padel serve tactics · First volley padel · Padel serve strategy · Padel net position · Hugo Cases padel · Padel tactics explained 🛒 PADEL DRIVE STORE https://padeldrivers.com/ 📍 Filmed at Rocket Padel Bristol — thanks to the team for letting us use their courts.

Good for

Skill level

Intermediate, High Intermediate, Advanced, High Advanced

Court position

Left, Net

Play style

Tactical

Secondary shot

Drop Shot

Support Padel Drive

Every lesson on this page is Padel Drive's work. If it helped your game, subscribe on YouTube and tell them.

Subscribe on YouTube

Related video lessons