💡 Tactics and Technique 💡
Got some unexpected feedback today
I was playing with 3 random others today. One of them was visibly frustrated with how things went. Somewhere half way in, he decided to speak up. He addressed me and said: "you know, the service is just to start the game. You don't have to try to score a point every time, that's not how it works."
It took me some time to process, but I guess he didn't like my service?
I have been putting quite some effort into developing my service, and I had been forcing quite a few errors on my service. I am left-handed, and put on a bit of back- and side spin, so I understand it can be a bit of a challenge. But isn't that just part of the game?
I feel like he misunderstood the intent behind the saying that you shouldn't try to score points on your service. I wasn't taking any unnecessary risks... On the contrary, a few months ago I was losing a lot of points on the service return because I wasn't thinking about it. I'm trying to counter this, and it works, but now people get frustrated?
Anyway, I kinda took it the wrong way and spent the next 10 minutes smashing everything at his feet.
But now, after the game, I am doubting myself... Is it unsportsmanlike to score many points on the service in a casual game? Should I be adjusting my play to match the rest of the group? Mind you, the other 3 were most likely all stronger players than I am.
Comments (55)
u/Maleficent-Drive40565w ago
I think you know the answer already.
You are entitled to play to win.
75
Honestly I don't, I am very bad at catching social cues. Just looking for an outside perspective.
8
u/Bender_Fry_ftw5w ago
Haha, this guy should learn how to receive the service. Somehow he was right that it is to start a game, but nobody said that it should be easy start, did he served only super easy balls?
13
u/HumbleWorkerAnt5w ago
if you're playing with people who struggle to return serves it just means you're playing with beginners. if you want to improve, challenge yourself and play against better opponents.
11
u/heinrichjvr5w ago
I like the saying that there are no good serves in Padel, only bad returns. Maybe mention that to him next time.
1
u/ryancgray15w ago
I have come up against a couple people recently whose serve has just got me every time. But I eagerly await them to try and figure out what I need to be doing to get better to improve my own game.
Sounds like you just went up against a little bitch whose not used to sucking
28
u/Walgenital5w ago
This, if i play against someone who is better than me im just trying to beat him once.
1
u/va-va-voom-145w ago
Rating based game? Where everyone should be around the same level? If so, I would reply with two words, the second one being ‘off’
20
u/krustyDC5w ago
But if it's a friendly game and the serve is obviously too hard for the opponents, I feel like an adjustment is justified.
12
u/va-va-voom-145w ago
I don’t, or maybe I have the wrong mindset. If I am playing padel, I am doing it for two reasons, enjoyment and looking to improve. If I can’t return someone’s serve, consistently, believe me I would be wanting them to serve at me more in order for me to work out what to do.
11
It was a friendly game, and around the same level. Not a playtomic location but I would say around 2.5 seems accurate.
I was below average in this group, except for my serve.
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u/va-va-voom-145w ago
The next time he won a point, from the back of the court, I would have kicked off ‘you don’t win points from the back of the court, you are only supposed to defend’. 😉
5
u/Prestigious-Slip11124w ago
So you aren't allowed to have a good serve? As others have said... if you were easily the best player it might be justified to go easy for the sake of rallies... but if you are below average in the 4, use what you've got haha
2
u/RDWRER20005w ago
I read this as your teammate was giving you some advice along the lines of ‘better to get the serve in play the try to win the point & double fault’ but the fact it was an opponent?? Screw that - friendly is a chance to practice & so what if you serve 4x great serves then you move onto the next server. Sounds like he felt like you were showing him up by not being able to return your serve & was being a sore loser.
10
When he said it, he was the opponent. But we were rotating partners after each set.
1
u/CalmOpportunity28285w ago
If you are rotating partners maybe sometimes people just wanna get some rallies going and it’s just boring if everything dies after the serve
5
u/4669231425w ago
It is to start the game but crucially to start it to your team's advantage surely? If they can't return a legal serve then that's on them.
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u/TopgearM5w ago
So basically they are not able to return your serve?
They should take classes and level up.
Because if they can't return your serve most of the times, they must be bad at padel.
8
u/BruceWillis19635w ago
Many padel coaches will say that the purpose of the serve is to get the net position and not to win the point on the serve.
What tends to happen a lot (I am guilty as charged) is that we hit a serve fast and have no time to set up at the net because the serve is returned as fast as you served it. They can easily beat you down the line if they are capable players or down the middle as you are running to get into position.
It is much better, according to the coaches I have had, to make a decent serve that is not that fast giving you time to get into a net position and making the serve awkward enough for them (mix them up - to the glass, to the middle, to their feet) so they can not lob, but not that fast that they are going to beat you on the return.
You will find that as you play with better players, they can return most serves that you throw at them. You tend not to win on your fast serves, and you start to lose more because you do not get into position or the return beats you.
Also, do not be discouraged by other players giving you advice, especially if they are more experienced. I learn so much from the people I play with and I will often ask them before the game to critique my game. You cannot see how you play, and they can often give some useful tips on positioning, tactics, etc. That is the way we get better.
7
u/oompaloompagrandma5w ago
I think of it not being about trying to win on the serve, but to give yourself the best chance of winning in the next point or two.
You're not trying to hit aces. You're trying to serve in a way that generates easy returns while giving yourself time to get in a position to make the most of them.
2
u/JohnSourcer5w ago
The issue here is as you get better, you'll return more serves. The top players don't try to serve aces, they serve at a pace that allows them to get to a dominant position at the net. The real joy for both teams is a built up, extended rally so an ace against the opposition isn't great for that.
5
u/HairyCallahan5w ago
You shouldn't try to score aces with the serve because it's just not really possible against somewhat decent players. But from what I read, you simply had a difficult service for them to return. That's really their problem. There really isn't a serve that consistently scores points against better players.
Some context. Some players try to hit a hard and risky serve every time and have like a 25% first serve rate. That sucks cause it really slows the game down. But if you have a like 75% first serve rate, nobody should ever complain
3
u/ldf11115w ago
If you are the strongest player and it’s a casual game then yeah maybe relax the serve. Other wise do what you like
2
u/enoj5w ago
Of course your serve should be as good as possible. I wish my serve was better, it is just so incredibly fucking boring to practice.
If it is a casual match and the opponents are bad you could of course let them off easy.
2
u/KBricksBuilder5w ago
"Should I be adjusting my play to match the rest of the group"
If you are the best on the court by some margin then id say yes, if it is a casual game you shouldnt be stomping and ruin others fun.
But "Mind you, the other 3 were most likely all stronger players than I am." and in this case go nuts, pull out all your tricks.
2
u/Only-Security49845w ago
I’d tell him if you’re gonna p*ss like a puppy stay on the porch and let the big dogs eat. If your serve is legal (which I would take a guess it definitely is) there is absolutely no problem in you doing it. If he has a problem with it, that’s a him problem. If he put as much effort into learning to defend a good serve as he does whining, he’ll be onto a winner.
2
u/karlitooo4w ago
Totally, just sounds like whining. If he is having a hard time then it’s an opportunity to practice
2
u/cmc_9205w ago
I don't buy the whole 'the serve is just to start the point' thing. Even at a good intermediate level, having a difficult to return first serve is a big plus. You may not be getting lots of aces, but you will get an easy second ball much more often which you can then finish or put on even more pressure and it helps you to not get broken to easily. An easy serve just means you get lobbed straight away. So always work on your serve. I think at an advanced level it becomes less important because the returns are way more consistent so its less of a big deal...but they're equally still not giving simple serves, they're always to the glass or middle with slice etc.
2
u/JaviLP5w ago
It depends on the level of the match you’re playing, if I am playing competitive I try to score with my service or my first volley, if I am playing a chill match with my girlfriend or friend below my level I just put the ball in play
2
u/bogie555w ago
There's nothing at all wrong with using the serve to try to win the point. It sounds like your opponent had sour grapes and was asking for your response.
There are situations in which I might make my serve easier to return to make sure we have more chance of a more enjoyable game, but not in a competitive game.
A good, dependable serve is important to develop, but so is return technique,
1
u/Hero7065w ago
No man your serve is still a serve. if they can’t return legal serves that’s on them. everyone’s there to play and get better! Rooting for you
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u/rapgab5w ago
Its a phrase i see quite often on youtube. You probably watches a lot of youtube padel videos
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u/Glittering-Horse55594w ago
Yes you should adjust your game to suit your opponents if you are much better than them.
1
u/Agreeable-Cost-53265w ago
it's not your service that is unreturnable.
it's his return that is suck.
don't bother as long as your serve has nothing against the rules
1
u/LuchoAntunez5w ago
The service it's not for winning points, but if you can then it's better.
I try that my service is good enough to make my rival uncomfortable, so he can't lob me.
1
u/Miserable_Fee45335w ago
If it’s a friendly game and I notice my level is clearly a lot higher than the opponents. I’ll start playing for rallies and try to force mistakes rather than play outright winners
1
u/Big-Bad-54055w ago
If you play against massively weaker opponents and for that reason only you want to be a fair guy, you start to serve easy. Otherwise: as difficult as possible on the first try, as secure as possible without making it too easy on the second
1
u/okdude005w ago
Anyone else think padel would be slightly better if you only get one serve? Or just me
1
u/pyrovoice4w ago
so service is a weird thing: It's very easy to train but hard to train against, so your serve will quickly become a better shot than the average of the room, if that makes sense.
So you have that level where people will be able to do good serves but not return them, leading to a lot of frustration and points won on the serve. But then, at the next level, people will have learned to return the serves correctly and now the serve, however good it is, will rarely score a point. so it becomes "the service is just to start the game"
However, if you're playing against someone who can't receive (and you're playing to win), it's perfectly acceptable to do your best serve and get points from that. What you should be careful is to not rely entirely on that (which can be easy when your serve wins most points) or you'll basically win or lose on the serve, and to sometime not push your serve too much to let the play happen and practice other things (for myself, I like to serve strong on the best opponent and light on the weakest, to mix serve and point training)
But at the end of the day, if you respect the rules and are not otherwise a dick, that dude can fuck off
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u/TheFailSnail5w ago
He was probably just sour that he was making so many mistakes on the return of your service. If your opponent complains, it's a good thing.
1