Many times you happen to curse it because it catches you unprepared by completely displacing you, other times you thank it after it allowed you to win a crucial point or because, in that case, it provided you with a somewhat more forgiving bounce. We are, of course, talking about the mesh, undoubtedly the most unpredictable area of the Padel Court since, not being a smooth and uniform surface, the ball can take the most varied trajectories when it bounces against it, adding an extra component of dynamism and fun to our favorite sport.
It is precisely from these considerations that the love/hate relationship that characterizes many players towards the padel court meshes arises, as for many of them they are still not totally clear on some technical but especially tactical strategies to use in order to exploit the mesh bounce to their advantage and to try to mend this troubled relationship.
Aspects to take into account regarding the mesh
Are you part of these? No problem, in this article we will try to provide some clarity.
Offensively
When attacking, your task will be to use the mesh to your advantage, aware that by directing the ball in its direction you could displace your opponent by giving the ball an unpredictable trajectory.
In front of you, you have three options:
- Passing: when your opponents are positioned under the net, a viable alternative to the “orb” is definitely to opt for a tight pass by crossing your shot in the direction of the side mesh. This way you will catch your opponents by surprise and in addition to forcing them to retrieve an angled ball, they will also have the unknown of the rebound on the mesh. Only caveat: You need to have a good hand and confidence with the racket, so don’t abuse it!
- Cross volley: in this case you will be in a much more forward position on the court and thus be able to play an aggressive volley. The idea is to play a cross volley from the right or left very tightly in the direction of the mesh, and in this way you may be able to get an uncomfortable bounce for your opponent.
- “Rulo” to the mesh: of the three, this is the most difficult shot to execute technically because it requires great forearm and shoulder mobility to impart a “kick” spin to the ball. It is played from the left for right-handers and from the right for left-handers and consists of executing a very tight, cross-court smash that through the rotation of the ball will allow it to hit the mesh.
Defensively
Moving on to the defensive phase, your goal will be to position yourself as correctly as possible so as not to be displaced by a bounce in the mesh that will cause the ball to fall downward (the most difficult situation to be in).
To do this you will have to position yourself behind the ball by keeping your center of gravity and racket low so that in the event that the ball tends to fall downward you will be ready to hit it.
As we have seen, the random bounce that the ball can take on after hitting the side meshes is an inherent feature of padel and, indeed, the fact that it can go left or right, up or down depending on the rotation and from the power of the shot and depending on the exact spot where the mesh is hit, is an aspect that makes the sport even more spectacular.
In this regard, it is good to remember that what allows for random rebound is the design of the mesh itself, which must comply with the strict parameters imposed by the IPF regarding the thickness, diameter and measurements of the mesh of squares that compose it but not by the type of material used.
The most striking example in this regard is that of the Fiberglass Padel Court, for which NXPadel holds the International Patent, as well as being the only manufacturer in the world of this great innovation in the world of Padel Court.
In this specific case, although using a totally different material than iron or steel, NXPadel has maintained exactly the same design as traditional meshes, perfectly respecting all the parameters imposed by the International Padel Federation, so that the rebound is always random like on all the courts in the world (as explained in this video), but that’s not all.
Indeed, the real revolution of these courts lies not only in their far simplified installation and zero maintenance (as Fiberglass is 100 percent rustproof), but also in their incredible playability benefits.
Because of its elasticity and resilience, the Fiberglass mesh is able to flex to perfection when impacted by players’ bodies ensuring a ‘soft, cushioned impact that wards off injuries and muscle aches, and among other things, provides a push toward the center of the court that allows the player to regain the ideal position after retrieving an angled ball. All without ever curving or deforming since thanks to the great resilience of this material, the mesh will immediately return to its initial shape.
What to say. After reading this article, you will really have no more excuses during your next padel game! True, mesh rebound is and always will remain an unknown in this sport but that is also the beauty of it. What is certain is that by applying these tactical tips on any type of Padel Court you will be able to greatly improve your level of play and if you add to this the innovation that some companies are bringing to this area, you will transform the mesh from arch enemy to faithful ally during your matches!
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