💡 Tactics and Technique 💡Why does my “ball feeling” fluctuate so much in tournaments?
Hey everyone,
I’ve been playing padel for about a year now and currently play around 3–5 times per week. I feel like I’m improving quite quickly overall, but there’s one thing I’m really struggling to understand.
Every few tournaments — maybe every 3rd or 4th one — I seem to have a day where I just cannot get into my game at all. Everything feels insecure and unstable. I make completely unnecessary mistakes, even on simple balls. I don’t actually have shaky hands, but it almost feels like I do.
A good example is my forehand from defense. On normal days, I’d say this is one of my strengths. I feel very comfortable playing chiquitas, down-the-line shots past the left-side opponent, or cross-court balls into the corner/fence. Usually, I feel very safe with those shots.
But on these bad days, even the easiest balls — the ones I just want to play safely through the middle with no risk — sometimes go straight into the net or even hit the back glass.
I understand that not every day can feel the same, but the difference feels extreme. It’s not just “a bit off” — it feels like I suddenly lose my touch and confidence completely.
Has anyone else experienced this?
How can ball feeling fluctuate so much from one day to another?
And more importantly: are there any practical methods, routines, mental tricks, or warm-up approaches to get this under better control during matches or tournaments?
Would really appreciate any advice from players who have dealt with this before.
Thanks!