What is a bandeja in padel?

A bandeja is a sliced, defensive overhead hit from mid-court that travels at about head height to the opponent's side fence. It's the most-used overhead in padel because it lets the hitting team hold the net without overcommitting to a full smash. The contact point is slightly behind your head and the swing is more of a controlled push than a powerful strike.

What does chiquita mean in padel?

A chiquita is a soft, low ball aimed at the feet of net players to force them to lift the ball back up. It's the defender's answer to a strong net pair: instead of lobbing (which gives the net team time to set up an overhead), you slip a chiquita just over the net so they have to hit up, giving you a chance to attack the next ball.

What does punto de oro mean?

Punto de oro means golden point — sudden-death scoring at deuce. Instead of playing advantage points, one point decides the game and the returning team picks which side to receive on. It's standard on the Premier Padel pro tour and in most US club leagues because it keeps matches predictable in length.

What is the difference between a vibora and a bandeja?

Both are overhead shots from mid-court, but a vibora is more aggressive. A bandeja uses backspin and stays at head height, designed to hold position. A vibora uses sidespin (slice across the ball) so it 'snakes' away from the receiver after the bounce, often kicking toward the side glass at an awkward angle. Pros use the bandeja to keep points neutral and the vibora to create offense.

What is a globo in padel?

A globo is a lob. Defenders use it to push net players back off the service line and buy time to reset. Attackers use it to surprise net players who are crowding the middle. A well-hit globo lands deep enough that the opponent can't take it out of the air, forcing them to play it off the back glass.

Padel Glossary: 50+ Essential Terms Every Player Should Know

Q: Why does padel use so many Spanish terms?

Padel was invented in Mexico in 1969 and developed almost entirely in Spanish-speaking countries before reaching the US in the 2020s. The shot names, scoring calls, and tactical vocabulary all came pre-loaded in Spanish, and US clubs adopted them rather than translating. The Spanish terms are also more precise — bandeja describes a specific shape and intent that defensive overhead only roughly captures.

Walk onto a padel court for the first time and you'll catch a stream of half-Spanish, half-tennis jargon — "bandeja", "punto de oro", "she went por tres" — that nobody bothers to translate because the regulars learned it by osmosis. This is the cheat sheet they never gave you. Every term below is one you'll actually hear at a club, on a broadcast, or in a group chat. We've grouped them by where they show up so you can skim, learn, or print the bottom section and stick it in your bag.

If you're brand new, start with our beginner's rules guide and the scoring walkthrough — this glossary assumes you know the basics.

Shots & Techniques (A–Z)

These are the named strokes you'll hear called out during points, lessons, and pro broadcasts. Almost all of them keep their Spanish names in English-speaking clubs because the alternatives are clunky ("the defensive overhead with slice and placement" vs "bandeja").

Bajada — A controlled overhead off a ball that has bounced off the back glass. You're hitting down and forward, taking pace off so your partners can re-set at the net. Less aggressive than a remate, more aggressive than a bandeja.

Bandeja — The signature padel shot. A slice overhead hit from mid-court, traveling out wide to the opponent's side fence at about head height. Used to hold the net without committing to a full smash. Full breakdown in our bandeja how-to.

Bola dormida — Literally "sleeping ball." A ball that dies after hitting the back glass, leaving almost no bounce. Usually unreturnable if your opponent gets it short enough.

Chiquita — A low, soft ball hit at the feet of net players to force them to lift the ball back up. The classic way for defenders to neutralize a strong net pair without lobbing.

Globo — The lob. Used both defensively (when you're pinned at the baseline and need time) and offensively (to push the net pair off their position). See the lob guide for technique.

Por tres — "Through three." The shot exits the court between the side glass and the side fence, or over the side fence entirely. The point is awarded to the player who hit it — and the receiver has to chase it down outside the court (some venues allow this, others don't). One of padel's most satisfying shots to hit and most painful to chase.

Remate — The full power smash. Used when you have a high ball at the net and want to end the point. The smash guide covers the mechanics.

Rulo — A topspin smash that kicks high off the back glass on the second bounce, ideally over the side or back fence for a por tres. Modern pros like Coello use it as a finishing weapon.

Vibora — A sliced, sidespin overhead — similar shape to a bandeja but more aggressive, with the ball "snaking" away from the receiver after the bounce. See the vibora how-to.

Volea — A volley. Just like tennis: ball struck before it bounces. Padel volleys are usually blocked or punched short rather than driven.

Court & Equipment Terms

Cristal / glass — The tempered glass walls. "Off the cristal" means the ball came off the back or side glass before being played.

Pista — The court itself. A standard pista is 20m × 10m (see our court dimensions breakdown).

Pala — The racket. Solid (no strings), with a perforated face and a foam core.

Cabezal — The head of the racket. Shape (round, teardrop, diamond) determines where the sweet spot sits.

Goma / EVA — The foam core inside the pala. "Soft goma" = more control and comfort; "hard EVA" = more power and a stiffer feel.

Empuñadura — The grip. Most pros wrap an overgrip on top of the stock grip for moisture and feel.

Cancha — Another word for court, more common in Latin America than Spain.

Reja — The metal mesh fencing on the back portion of the court (above the glass) and side panels. Balls can carom off the reja and stay in play.

Scoring & Match Terms

Padel scoring borrows from tennis but has a few quirks worth memorizing — full details in the scoring guide.

Iguales — Deuce. Score is 40–40.

Ventaja — Advantage. The "ad" call after deuce.

Set — First team to 6 games (win by 2). Best-of-three sets is the standard match format.

Tiebreak — Played at 6–6 in a set. First to 7 points, win by 2. Identical to tennis.

Súper tiebreak — A first-to-10 (win by 2) tiebreak used in place of a third set in many amateur formats and some leagues. Cuts match length without forcing a full third set.

Punto de oro — "Golden point." Sudden-death scoring at deuce: one point decides the game, and the returning team chooses which side to receive on. Standard on the Premier Padel tour and most US club leagues.

No-ad — Same as punto de oro: no advantages, deuce becomes a single decisive point.

Strategy & Positioning

Net position — Both partners at the service line. The dominant position in padel; if you're back, you're defending.

Defensive position — Both partners on or behind the baseline, lobbing and chiquitating to try to bring the opponents off the net.

Australian / I-formation — Both partners line up on the same side of the court at the start of the point, usually to disguise the return or attack a specific opponent.

Stacking — Lining up both partners on the same half of the court so the stronger forehand always plays the middle. Rare in amateur padel because partners usually switch sides each set.

The middle — The space between the two opposing players. Most padel points are won by attacking the middle, where neither opponent has clear authority.

Tres metros — The three-meter zone in front of the net. Owning this space (or denying it to opponents) decides most points.

Tournament & League Terms

Cuadro / bracket — The draw sheet. "Main cuadro" = main draw; "pre-cuadro" = qualifying.

Wildcard — A discretionary entry into a draw, usually given to local pros, returning veterans, or sponsor picks.

Pre-qualifying / qualifying — The bracket players must win through to reach the main draw. Premier Padel events have a pre-qualifying round, a qualifying round, and the main cuadro.

FIP points — Ranking points from the International Padel Federation, used to seed players for international competition.

Premier Padel — The unified global pro tour, formed when the World Padel Tour folded in 2024 and merged with the Premier Padel circuit. Most top pros play here.

A1 Padel — A competing pro circuit popular in South America with a different sponsor structure and player roster.

NPL — The National Padel League, the US team-based pro league launched in 2025.

USPA — The United States Padel Association, the national governing body for the sport in the US.

Tournament Format Terms

You'll see these on signup sheets and league emails. The full breakdown is in our tournament formats guide.

Americano — A rotating format where you change partners every round and points accumulate individually. Great for mixed-level social play.

Mexicano — Like Americano but you're re-paired each round based on your current ranking, so leaders play leaders.

King of the Court — Continuous-play format where the winning team holds the "king" side and challengers rotate in.

Round robin — Every team plays every other team in a pool; top finishers advance.

Pro Tour & Pop Culture

Pareja — Your partner. "Quién es tu pareja?" = "Who's your partner?"

Patada — Literally "kick." Used when a ball kicks unexpectedly off the back glass or a player kicks (rather than swings) at a low ball in desperation.

Doblar — To "double up" or poach. The net player crosses the middle to take a ball that was heading to their partner.

Tanda — A practice block or a coaching set. "Vamos a hacer una tanda de bandejas" = "Let's do a set of bandejas."

Tocada — A touch shot, usually a delicate drop volley.

Contraataque — Counter-attack. The defending team taking the net after a well-placed lob.

Acronyms to Know

FIP — Federación Internacional de Pádel. The international governing body.

USPA — United States Padel Association. The US national federation.

WPR — World Padel Ranking, the FIP-administered global rankings.

NPRP — National Padel Rating Points, the US amateur rating system tracked on PadelBrowser city player profiles.

NPL — National Padel League, the US pro team league.

PPA — Professional Padel Association, the players' representation body for the unified Premier Padel tour.

WPT — World Padel Tour. The legacy pro tour (2013–2023) that merged into Premier Padel.

P1 / P2 / FIP Promotion — Premier Padel event tiers. P1 is the top tier (similar to ATP Masters 1000), P2 is mid-tier, and FIP Promotion is the entry-level pro event.

Print-Friendly Cheat Sheet

Save this for the bag.

Term	Meaning
Bandeja	Mid-court slice overhead, defensive
Vibora	Sidespin overhead, more aggressive than bandeja
Remate	Full-power smash
Rulo	Topspin smash, kicks off back glass
Bajada	Controlled overhead off back glass
Globo	Lob (defensive or offensive)
Chiquita	Soft, low ball at the net player's feet
Por tres	Ball that exits the court past the side fence
Bola dormida	Dead ball off the back glass
Volea	Volley
Cristal	Glass wall
Pista	Court
Pala	Racket
Iguales	Deuce
Punto de oro	Golden point (sudden death)
Súper tiebreak	First-to-10 third-set substitute
Cuadro	Draw / bracket
Pareja	Partner
Tres metros	Three-meter net zone
Contraataque	Counter-attack to take the net

Why So Much Spanish?

Padel was invented in Acapulco, Mexico in 1969 and developed almost entirely in Spanish-speaking countries (Spain, Argentina, Mexico) before reaching the US in the 2020s. The shot names, scoring calls, and tactical vocabulary all came pre-loaded in Spanish, and US clubs adopted them whole rather than translating. The Spanish terms are also more precise — "bandeja" describes a specific shape, contact point, and intent that "defensive overhead with slice" only approximates. Expect more terms to migrate over as the sport grows.

Bookmark this page or share it with your padel group. We update it as new terms enter the US lexicon — and if you hear a term you don't see here, search the directory or check the court availability map to find a club where someone can explain it courtside.