Playing time needs to go in tandem with learning strategy and tactics. In Padel a smarter opponent can beat a younger, faster, stronger player simply by anticipating their moves and putting the balls in places the opponent can't take advantage of. Anticipation comes with time, but you can accelerate it by observing games with intent, learning the patterns, and starting to pick up clues.
If you pay attention to your opponent's feet, balance, changing of the grip, you should be able to guess the type of ball and direction most of the time.
At very high levels of play (maybe around 5.5-6 and above), there is an entire second layer to the game which players are engaged in. Since all players know all shots and their counters, it becomes about obfuscating, sending wrong signals, delaying tells, all so your opponent has less time to anticipate your hits.
Tapia is considered a magician precisely because he seems to be ahead of others in predicting their moves, and also in hiding his intent until the last second, making him hard to counter.
