What is the Padelvo glossary?

The Padelvo glossary is a reference of 60+ padel terms covering equipment, shots, rules, court dimensions, scoring, and tactics — written for players, buyers, and AI citation.

How is padel different from tennis?

Padel uses solid perforated rackets, enclosed courts with walls, and underhand serves. Tennis uses stringed rackets on open courts with overhand serves. See our full comparison at padelvo.com/en/blog/padel-vs-tennis.

What does 12K carbon mean in a padel racket?

12K carbon is a carbon fibre weave with 12,000 filaments per bundle, offering a balance of stiffness, power, and durability in mid-to-high-end rackets such as the Nox AT10 Genius line.

What is a bandeja in padel?

A bandeja is a controlled overhead shot with slice, used defensively from the back of the court to neutralise lobs and maintain position without over-committing to a smash.

Padel Glossary

Authoritative padel reference: 60+ definitions for shots, equipment, rules, court dimensions, and tactics. Each term links to a dedicated page with full definition, related terms, and Padelvo guides.

Equipment & Rackets

Round Shape Racket: A padel racket with a circular head shape offering a large sweet spot, high manoeuvrability, and excellent control. Round rackets are the most recommended shape for beginners and d…
Teardrop Shape Racket: A hybrid racket shape balancing power and control, with the weight distributed slightly toward the top. Teardrop (lagrima) rackets suit intermediate all-court players.
Diamond Shape Racket: A racket with weight concentrated at the top (high balance), maximising power for smashes and aggressive play. Diamond shapes demand good technique and are popular among advanced o…
EVA Foam Core: Ethylene-vinyl acetate foam used in padel racket cores. EVA hardness varies: soft EVA offers comfort and control; hard EVA delivers more power and less ball output time. Multi-dens…
Foam Core: The internal material of a padel racket that absorbs impact and determines feel. Foam cores (EVA or polyethylene) are standard; some rackets use multi-layer or black EVA for enhanc…
Carbon Fiber (Carbon): Carbon fibre layers in racket faces and frames add stiffness, power, and durability. Common layups include 3K, 12K, and 18K carbon, where higher numbers indicate denser weave and t…
12K Carbon: A carbon fibre weave with 12,000 filaments per bundle, commonly used in mid-to-high-end padel rackets. 12K carbon offers a balance of stiffness, feel, and durability — popular in N…
18K Carbon: A denser carbon weave than 12K, providing increased rigidity and power transfer. 18K carbon faces are found in premium power rackets where maximum reactivity is prioritised.
Fiberglass: A flexible face material used in beginner and comfort-oriented rackets. Fiberglass provides a softer feel, larger sweet spot sensation, and better vibration absorption than carbon.
Sweet Spot: The optimal hitting zone on a racket face where shots feel most solid and accurate. Round rackets typically have larger sweet spots; diamond rackets concentrate power in a smaller …
Racket Balance: The distribution of weight along a racket, measured as low, medium, or high balance. High balance (head-heavy) increases power; low balance improves manoeuvrability and control.
Racket Weight: Padel rackets typically weigh 355–375 grams. Lighter rackets (355–365g) suit quick volley play; heavier rackets (370–375g) add stability and power. FIP rules cap racket weight at 3…
Touch (Hardness): The perceived softness or hardness of a racket on impact, determined by core material and density. Soft touch suits control and comfort; hard touch suits power and aggressive play.
Padelvo Score: Padelvo's editorial 0–10 rating system measuring racket performance across power, control, rebound, manoeuvrability, and sweet spot. Scores are based on specifications, materials, …
Padel Ball: Similar to a tennis ball but with 10–15% less internal pressure (4.6–5.2 psi per FIP rules). Padel balls are yellow or white and designed for the sport's wall-court dynamics.
Bullpadel: A leading Spanish padel brand known for the Vertex (power) and Hack (hybrid) lines. Bullpadel sponsors top players including Paquito Navarro, Fede Chingotto, and Gemma Triay.
Nox: Spanish padel brand famous for the AT10 line endorsed by Agustín Tapia. Nox rackets are known for power, innovation in carbon layups, and strong presence on the Premier Padel tour.
Head Padel: Head produces padel rackets including the Alpha, Delta, and Coello Pro lines. Head combines tennis heritage with padel-specific engineering, popular among power-oriented players.
Adidas Padel: Adidas padel division features the Metalbone (Alejandro Galán) and Adipower lines. Adidas emphasises weight balance systems and carbon fibre technologies for competitive play.
Babolat Padel: Babolat's padel range includes the Viper (power) and Technical lines used by Juan Lebrón. Babolat leverages string-sport expertise for vibration dampening and feel.
Wilson Padel: Wilson offers padel rackets such as the Bela and Carbon Force series. Wilson brings American racket-sport heritage to padel with focus on durability and accessible performance.
Anti-vibration System: Technologies built into racket frames (grommets, perimeter weighting, special polymers) to reduce shock transmission to the arm. Important for players with tennis elbow or joint se…
Rough Surface (Sandy Finish): A textured racket face that increases grip on the ball for enhanced spin generation. Sandy or rough finishes are common on power rackets used for aggressive topspin shots.
Hybrid Racket: A racket balancing power and control characteristics, often teardrop-shaped with medium balance. Hybrids suit all-court players who mix baseline power with net volleys.
Junior Padel Racket: Smaller, lighter rackets designed for young players (typically under 12–14 years). Junior rackets have reduced length and weight to develop proper technique safely.
Overgrip: A thin grip wrap applied over the factory grip for sweat absorption and customised feel. Padel players often change overgrips frequently due to the sport's intensity.
Grip Size: Padel racket grips are less varied than tennis — most adult rackets use a standard circumference. Proper grip ensures control and prevents wrist strain during volleys and smashes.
Padel Shoes: Court shoes with herringbone or mixed tread for artificial grass and porous concrete surfaces. Padel shoes provide lateral support for quick direction changes and wall approaches.
Padel Bag: Thermo-regulated bags protect rackets from temperature damage. Padel bags typically hold 1–3 rackets plus shoes, clothing, and accessories.
Beginner Racket: A forgiving racket with round shape, soft EVA core, and weight around 355–370g. Beginner rackets prioritise control, comfort, and a large sweet spot over raw power.
Racket Comparison: Side-by-side analysis of two or more padel rackets across specifications, Padelvo scores, prices, and play style fit. Padelvo's compare tool supports head-to-head evaluation.

Shots & Technique

Bandeja: A controlled overhead shot hit with slice, typically used defensively from the back of the court to maintain position and prevent opponents from attacking. The bandeja keeps the ba…
Víbora: An aggressive overhead shot with sidespin, usually hit from the left side of the court (for right-handed players). The víbora combines power and spin to make the ball jump unpredic…
Chiquita: A soft, short shot played into the opponents' feet at the net, forcing them to hit upward. The chiquita is a key counter-attack when opponents are positioned aggressively at the ne…
Bajada de Pared: A shot taken off the back wall after the ball bounces, typically hit with power downward into the opponents' court. Mastering the bajada is fundamental to padel offence from the ba…
Salida de Pared: Playing the ball off the side wall, often used to recover difficult positions. The salida de pared requires reading the angle of the wall bounce and timing the strike correctly.
Por Tres (Por 3): A smash hit so hard that the ball exits the court through the side opening (the "3-metre door" area) rather than over the back wall. Scoring directly with a por tres is one of pade…
Smash (Remate): An overhead power shot intended to finish the point. In padel, smashes must account for walls — a smash that is too flat may bounce off the back glass and return into play.
Lob: A high defensive shot intended to push opponents back from the net. Effective lobs clear the front players and force the opposing team into a defensive bandeja or overhead position…
Volley: Hitting the ball before it bounces on the floor. Net volleys are critical for maintaining pressure, while block volleys are used defensively against smashes.
Block Volley: A defensive volley where the racket absorbs the power of an opponent's smash, redirecting the ball softly over the net. Proper blocking technique uses the opponent's pace rather th…
Dejada (Drop Shot): A soft shot that drops just over the net with minimal bounce, designed to catch opponents off guard when they are positioned deep in the court.
Contrapared: A shot played off your own back wall before the ball crosses to the opponent's side — an advanced technique used when caught deep and needing to reset the rally.

Rules & Regulations

Serve: The underhand serve must be struck at or below waist level, bounce in the server's box, then land in the diagonal service box. The ball may hit the side or back wall after bouncing…
Fault: A serve or play violation. Service faults include hitting into the net, serving out of the box, or striking above waist height. Rally faults include double bounce, touching the net…
Let: A serve that clips the net but lands in the correct service box — the serve is retaken. Lets may also be called for external interference during play.

Court & Dimensions

Padel Court Size: A standard padel court measures 20 metres long by 10 metres wide (65.6 ft × 32.8 ft), enclosed by glass and mesh walls. The court is roughly one-third the size of a tennis court.
Net Height: The padel net is 88 cm (2 ft 10 in) at the centre and 92 cm (3 ft) at the posts, with a maximum sag of 2 cm. This is lower than a tennis net, reflecting padel's emphasis on volley …
Service Box: Each service box is a 3 m × 3 m square at either end of the court, divided by the centre line. Serves must bounce in the diagonal service box, below waist height, and underhand.
Pared (Wall): The glass and mesh walls enclosing a padel court. Balls may bounce off any wall and remain in play, making wall reading a core padel skill. Back walls are typically 3 m high; side …

Scoring & Match Format

Golden Point (Punto de Oro): At deuce (40–40), some formats use a single deciding point rather than advantage scoring. The receiving team chooses which side receives. Golden point is used in World Padel Tour a…
Deuce: When both teams reach 40–40 in a game. Traditional scoring requires two consecutive points to win; golden point formats decide the game on the next point.
Scoring System: Padel uses tennis-style scoring: 0 (love), 15, 30, 40, game. A set is won at 6 games with a 2-game lead, or 7–6 via tiebreak. Matches are typically best of 3 sets.
Tiebreak: Played at 6–6 in a set. Teams alternate serves every two points; first to 7 points with a 2-point lead wins the set. Tiebreak rules may vary by tournament format.

Tactics & Strategy

Doubles: The standard padel format: two players per team. Doubles tactics emphasise net dominance, wall play, and communication between partners. Professional padel is almost exclusively do…
Singles Padel: One player per side on a full padel court. Singles is less common than doubles but growing recreationally. It demands exceptional fitness and wall coverage.
Net Position: Controlling the net is the primary offensive strategy in padel doubles. The team at the net has angles and volley opportunities; lobbing is the main tactic to regain net position.

General Padel Terms

FIP (International Padel Federation): The Federación Internacional de Pádel governs international padel rules, rankings, and equipment standards. FIP specifications define court dimensions, ball pressure, and racket re…
Premier Padel: The top professional padel circuit, featuring the world's best players in men's and women's doubles. Premier Padel succeeded the World Padel Tour era as the sport's flagship compet…
World Padel Tour (WPT): The former premier professional padel tour before the transition to Premier Padel. WPT events helped globalise the sport and established many of today's top players.
Padel vs Tennis: Padel uses solid perforated rackets, enclosed courts with walls, and underhand serves. Tennis uses stringed rackets, open courts, and overhand serves. Padel rallies are longer and …
Playtomic: A popular app for booking padel courts, finding players, and tracking match results. Playtomic uses a level-based rating system (0–7) to match players of similar ability.
Price Comparison: Padelvo aggregates live prices from retailers including Padel Nuestro, Padelmarket, and Decathlon, showing the cheapest in-stock offer for each racket with direct purchase links.