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  2. Rant: Got stuck with an unpleasant partner for a l...
🤡 Humour 🤡

Rant: Got stuck with an unpleasant partner for a league

2030 commentsu/StarIU1w ago
Disclaimer: I know I could’ve problem carried more if I were better. unfortunately I am not. I have been playing padel for a few months and overall it’s a good experience and I’ve met a few friends at a club. I signed up for an 8-week league when they ran a promotion of free for members. The problem is that my friends are all paired up so I signed up by myself and got a random partner. I know I can get intense at competitions so I focus on being chilling and have fun at these low stake events. The partner started by telling me to excuse his age (55+, I’m 32) and his bad knee. I said it was all good. We were here to have fun after all. He then started telling me about our opponents and potential strategies. He asked if it was ok to film so he can have his coach review it later in the week. I thought “oh you are serious about this”. Then the first match started and I realized he did not go to the net after his own serve. I got put in the fridge. He started swearing at his mistakes. He made bad shot picks, like trying to hit a heavy smash while standing against the back wall, chuck it into the net and SCREAMED at himself. We got bageled in the first set and scored a few games in the second. I felt like I wasted an evening of my free time and there are 7 more of these to come. EDIT: Now that I calmed down (typing it out and interacting with the comments helped. Thanks!), I watched the recording from start to finish. My findings: 1. I made enough unforced errors to feel embarrassed about this post. 2. My backhand off the side wall sucks. (I'm a lefty playing right side) 3. I should hit more flat and less slices in a lot of scenarios. I guess that means to wait for the ball to drop a bit more before making contact? 4. The fact remains that he wasn't moving nearly as much and not to the net after serve. Now that I have things to work on, I feel more agency towards our next match and less shitty.
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Comments (30)

u/HairyCallahan1w ago
I feel sorry for you, but also would pay money to watch your next game.
8
u/StarIUOP1w ago
Should I get an OF account and just put my match recordings there?
6
u/HairyCallahan1w ago
Yes please. I wanna see Bad Knee Nigel 🍆
6
u/ItsAmon1w ago
Can’t you try to find a replacement? That sounds afwul 
7
u/StarIUOP1w ago
I can maybe sub myself out if it gets there but I don’t think I can just kick him off the league.  He’s just another paying member of the club after all
3
u/ItsAmon1w ago
Yeah I meant the first thing, I would seriously consider it if you have to play 7 more matches like this 
1
u/Julia__G1w ago
Ask to meet up with him and his coach before the next match to discuss different strategies. Then when you play remind him what his coach was suggesting given that particular situation. He will either love you or hate you but reminding him of the info that he paid for might just swing it. Good luck
5
u/StarIUOP1w ago
I like that! Texted him about scheduling.  Getting him to hate me would at least mean different partner in the next season ;)
6
u/Julia__G1w ago
That made me laugh. I wish you all the best. Update us 😃 🎾
2
u/Independent_Art53011w ago
Good on you for rewatching and being honest. Half the battle of padel is not the tech, it's the ego. Most people blame partner first, equipment second, themselves never. Couple thoughts: On the slices vs flat — yeah, you're probably taking the ball too early on the rise. Let it drop, meet it flat, aim lower. Slice is a defensive shot for when you're out of position or need to reset, not an every-ball thing. Lefty on the right side you'll get a lot of balls to your backhand off the side wall, so that's worth drilling specifically. On the partner — honestly, 8 weeks with someone intense but bad is actually a decent training situation. You'll learn to carry rallies, position cover for a weaker teammate, and stay mentally stable when things go sideways. All useful skills. Also your communication will improve massively because you'll have to. Also: if he's filming, ask him to share clips. Even if his coaching takes are trash, rewatching yourself is the fastest way to improve. You already proved that by finding 3 real issues in one rewatch. One weird thing about padel — losing with a bad partner teaches you more than winning with a good one. You just have to survive the frustration.
3
u/dirtydansie1w ago
Review the footage together with him
2
u/Ichikiriyama1w ago
It's staggering to me that 'improvers' (been playing a few months) don't know basic tactics. I play in a lot of beginner tournaments and most don't come to the net after serve. Surely this guy's coach would have told him that. And if he has a coach, he clearly wants to improve so surprised he hasn't spent 5 minutes on YouTube where he would quickly learn that!
2
u/StarIUOP1w ago
He generally didn’t move much. Some camera tracking app at the club showed that he covered about 1/3 of the distance of everyone else’. He was reaching for most shots.  I might ask if there’s any condition keeping from reaching the net next time. 
2
u/gt07m1w ago
is it a racquet sports specific app or just general camera tracking? That sounds really cool! you would be shocked at the number of people I coach that can't move, yet want to play at a 3.5+ level, then complain to me when their ranking doesn't improve. You either have to lower certain expectations or work on movement.
1
u/Ok-Drummer90731w ago
did you advise him that he should move up after his serves? and some tips on better shots like not smashing it from back wall etc?
2
u/StarIUOP1w ago
No. I don’t like getting coaching from a random partner in the middle of a match so I try not to do that to others
6
u/Available_Animator351w ago
I find that only true for technical advise. Tactical Things should be discussed in a Match especially crucial Things that cost you the Match Like eg
6
u/GlapLaw1w ago
How’s your demeanor toward him during the match? You were clearly frustrated, and rightfully so. How did you handle that?
2
u/theroyal19881w ago
i like a redditor actually asking valid questions before having an opinion.
2
u/StarIUOP1w ago
I tried containing my frustration from showing and just said things like "let's play it slow" "that was a tough set" "we'll get them now that we are warmed up". I don't know how much frustration he did pick up from me.
1
u/theroyal19881w ago
i played some padel yesterday and i was clearly annoyed. a partner can sense this and he feels pressure to do better. Emotion is a part of the game so im not blaming you, but next time im going to try to lift a partner up instead of being annoyed. Just because you didnt curse at him or shout at him doesnt mean you were supportive.
2
u/gt07m1w ago
What level is the league? I see two potential issues 1. You are in a league below your level. I can understand because you are newer not wanting to go and get creamed in a high level league right off the bat, but they may have placed you with who I'm guessing is the worst player in the league to make the teams "fair". Unfortunately padel doesn't work like that and you may have to bite the bullet and try another league next time. Or try to find a sub for yourself, most leagues usually have 1-2 subs. 2. this guy is way over head. In which case I would either go to the league organizer and say so. when 3 players are a one level and 1 clearly isn't then it isn't fun for anyone. I just wouldn't be shy/bashful, it is your limited time/experience.
1
u/StarIUOP1w ago
It’s the high beginner division. It’s probably the biggest bracket since it includes anyone who can get the ball back to tennis players who are not ready/willing to play padel and just rely on their raw power and athleticism.  If we look at win rates, I don’t think I’m ready to go up.  Skill wise, Bandeja is the only padel specific shot that I can execute consistently. Lobs are tricky because we play in a repurposed office building and the ceiling isn’t that high. I’m learning to add more chiquitas in my game at the moment. My volleys are ok from my pickleball days. Otherwise it’s a lot of slice ground strokes that I’m trying to flatten sometimes 
2
u/prianka_421w ago
I play High Beginner in SEA (SG, TH and Indo specifically) and I swear it’s like the Wild West. I’ll go to a match one day where people don’t know the rules/can only just return a serve (but they’ve been to a lot of classes, so they’ve assigned themselves that level) and then next where I can barely stay in the rally. I’m looking forward to getting to low int which I can only assume is less chaotic.
1
u/gadrev1w ago
If there's too much difference.. seven more matches like that.. I'd get out of there (the league I mean), I've seen that "random partner" situation too many times (often ends up being something like this). You may end up resenting every match and be worse off in the long term. This assuming your story is accurate and there's really a lot of difference in level, not even getting to the net while you and the opponents can move properly, etc...
1
u/StarIUOP1w ago
Distance covered isn't a good metric but from the Clutch recording I did, one opponent covered 1250m, I did 561m, the other opponent did 364m and my partner ran 199m. Not saying these numbers are accurate, but the differences tell a story. This is the high beginner division so probably none of us was moving "properly". He wasn't really moving.
1
u/theroyal19881w ago
from what ive learned playing with my father-in-law and an older acquaintance, Padel looks easy but its a young mans game where you have to move A LOT and think very fast. I like padel much more against younger people, i also learn a lot.
1