Intermediate players often hit a plateau in their padel progress because of small but costly tactical mistakes. In this match analysis, we break down three crucial areas every intermediate player must master: taking the net, holding the net, and avoiding No Man’s Land.

Take the Net: Timing is Everything

In padel, controlling the net means controlling the point. Most of the time, you take the net either after a serve or after a well-executed lob.

Key points to remember:

• Only come forward if your lob is good.
• A good lob is one that clears your opponent's head comfortably, giving you enough time to reach the net in a strong position.
• Do not rush the point once you’re at the net; use your positioning to force your opponents back before going for the winner.

Coming forward without good preparation often leads to losing the point.

Keep the Net: Stay Aggressive After the Lob

Taking the net is only half the job — keeping it is just as critical.

When you're lobbed, the right move is to play a deep bandeja and recover quickly back to the ideal net position.

Key reminders:

• Get close to the net again, ideally between the second post of the cage and the net.
• Watch out: watching your own shot instead of moving forward is a killer mistake.

• Sometimes, you’ll need to hit three, four, even five bandejas before you can finally finish the point. Consistency and persistence pay off.

No Man's Land: Where Points Are Lost

No Man’s Land is the dreaded space between the net and the back wall where players often get trapped.

Two main errors happen here:

1. Not moving fast or deep enough to the net after a lob or serve. Players hover in between and become easy targets.
2. After getting lobbed, failing to retreat properly to the back or attack fully forward, leading to awkward, floating shots.

Solutions:

• Always move beyond the second post when transitioning to the net.
• After a lob, decide quickly: either retreat all the way to defend or attack decisively.

Owning your transitions means owning the point.

Final Thoughts

At the intermediate level, padel becomes a game of smart positioning and tactical discipline. Take the net wisely, fight to keep it, and never get stuck in No Man’s Land — and you'll watch your win rate soar.

Your game, your story—keep playing.

👉 Watch the full match analysis video here!