Playing Padel Rain or Shine
Coming into 2022, we’re prepared to enjoy this sport sensation whatever the weather: rain or shine. When it’s just a little bit of shower it’s usually nothing to worry about. The biggest problem is the slippery courts.
You also have to think about factors that change in this situation. Let’s look at a few things that alter dramatically while playing in the rain and how to cope with them.
It’s better safe than sorry
Let’s get started with your match preparation. Make sure you’re dressed warmly, ideally in waterproof clothing. Wearing a hat will keep rain from getting into your eyes, allowing you to see better. If it’s not raining but it’s chilly.
Make sure you warm-up for longer than normal. Please also wear shoes with good traction, since the surface will be slicker than it would be in dry circumstances, increasing the risk of slips and injuries.
When a ball is wet, it becomes heavier and loses its bounce
This is the first thing you’ll need to remember. It will be considerably more difficult to smash the ball and take it off of the court in these circumstances. Returning the ball to your side of the court after a smash is the same.
Remember what makes padel special is that there’s a backglass…
The ball will then bounce off the walls, causing major complications. We have a no-grip problem again since the walls are moist. The ball will bounce in an odd manner as a result of this.
A medium to low powered shot would usually merely fall off a wall in a spectacular manner, leaving you anticipating a ball that will never get close to your racket. The remedy is to bend your knees even further and lower your racket so that you can grab balls even after irregular rebounds.
Back to basic: keeping it simple
When you hit the ball with a damp ball and racket, there will be no grip. As a result, topspin, underspin, backspin, and slicing must be avoided. Under these poor grip circumstances, use basic strokes to ensure maximum power transfer and give the ball as much direction as possible.
Both you and you’re opponent will be against the same slippery enemy and the player that’s most consistent and solid will win the match.
Sometimes, you’ll find yourself shocked because things that worked well for you on dry court won’t work in this slippery slope
If your opponent smashes the ball hard, you could receive a rebound off the wall that is even quicker than what you’re accustomed to in dry circumstances, which is something to consider. It’s difficult to use the walls in damp weather, so it’s probably best to skip them completely.
It’s best to avoid defensive play and constantly aim to remain in the offensive position, near to the goal. To push your opponent to play off the walls, volley hard and deep into their side. Because the barriers are so unexpected, you’ll have a far larger probability of your opponent making a mistake.
When it comes to serving, the same rules apply. In these circumstances, it’s ideal to serve fewer balls to the T and feet and more to the corner, where the opponent will be forced to play off the bounce of the wall. Returning to such serves will be very difficult. Serving with low power towards the T may be difficult to return if you can use any underspin, since the ball will bounce extremely low, making it very difficult to return.
