Moving well in padel doubles isn't one skill, it's a sequence. Where you stand and run changes depending on whether you're serving, returning, taking the net, or defending, and on which side of the court you play. Knowing what each phase asks of you and your partner removes a lot of guesswork and makes your movement look organized rather than reactive. This guide walks through the movement of a pair across the main phases of a point, and the differences between the right-side and left-side roles. For the basic principles of staying connected as a pair, see our general guide to moving as a pair.
Two Roles: The Right-Side and Left-Side Player
At higher levels, most players settle into one side of the court. The right-side player, often called the drive player, covers the right half, while the left-side player, often called the backhand player, covers the left half. The left-side player has the forehand facing the middle of the court, while the right-side player has the backhand there. A common description is that the right side tends to build the point patiently while the left side often does more of the finishing, though recreational players don't need to follow this strictly.
Note
Fixed sides are mainly a feature of competitive play. At a recreational level it's perfectly fine for both players to enjoy both sides, but it helps to know who is more comfortable where.
When You're Serving
The serve is a setup shot, and the movement that follows it matters more than the serve itself. After serving, follow the line of the serve and move diagonally toward the net, ideally together with your partner. Research that analyzed more than two thousand points found that stronger players moved faster toward an attacking position after the serve and spent less time between the serve and the return, which gives the returner less time to aim at their feet.
There are two common serving formations. In the normal formation, the server starts from the middle of the service area and runs forward, angling slightly toward the middle, since covering the center is their responsibility. In the Australian formation, both players start on the same side of the court. The server starts next to the T and, after the serve, moves quickly across to cover the return down the line, leaving the center to the partner. The purpose is simply to let the player who prefers a particular side approach the net on that side. Recreational pairs don't need it, but it can help when one player is clearly stronger on one side.
When You're Receiving
The return is a positioning shot before it's an attacking one. Your first job is to stop the serving pair from arriving comfortably at the net. A low return at the server's feet forces a volley upward, and a well-judged lob over the serving team's backhand side can push them toward the back wall and let you take the net in a single shot. Your partner usually sets up at the net or just inside the service line, depending on level, and as soon as you've returned, you should advance immediately and join your partner at the net.
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Important
Don't chase a return winner. A controlled return that lets you and your partner move forward together is worth more than a risky shot that gives the serving team the net.
Taking the Net Together
Once you reach the net, hold your position as a pair in the same horizontal band, with one player slightly tighter on the ball side and the other covering the middle. When one of you is pulled wide, the other shifts in the same direction. The goal is to stay forward and keep the opponents under pressure, rather than stopping in the area between the service line and the net.
The Lob, Bandeja, and Net Loop
Many padel points follow a repeating pattern. One team lobs to push the opponents off the net, the lobbed team hits a bandeja to hold the net, and the cycle continues until someone makes a mistake or gets a chance to attack. The movement in this loop is straightforward but demanding: when a lob goes over one player, the partner adjusts to cover the next ball, and after a bandeja the player steps forward again so the pair stays together.
Defending Together
When opponents are at the net and hitting good volleys, or after a lob beats you, retreat as a pair. If one player drops back, the other should drop back too, rather than staying at the net. At the back, stand in line with your partner at the same depth so the middle stays covered. From there, a reset lob can buy time to move forward together again.
| Phase | What the Pair Should Do |
|---|---|
| Serving | Follow the serve diagonally to the net, cover the center |
| Receiving | Return low or with a lob, then advance immediately |
| At the net | Stay in the same band, shift together, cover the middle |
| After a lob over you | Drop back together, then reset |
| Defending at the back | Stand in line, protect the middle |
Don't Swap Sides Without a Reason
If you have a preferred side, try to keep it even when your turn to serve comes from the other side. For example, if you're the left-side player and you serve from the right, serve and then run across toward the empty left side to cover the center and the likely return down the line, rather than forcing your partner to switch to your side before the point starts. Staying in a familiar role makes it easier to read the point and to know what your partner will do.
Drills to Practice Doubles Movement
Serve and Follow
Practice serving and immediately moving to the net together. Have the returning pair try to aim at the server's feet so you learn the importance of arriving quickly.
Return and Advance
Have a partner or coach feed serves while you return and then sprint to the net before the next ball. Repeat until the return and the advance feel like one movement.
Lob-Bandeja Loop
Play a cooperative sequence of lobs and bandejas, focusing on how both players move after each shot. Make the footwork and spacing the goal rather than winning the point.
Defend and Reset
One pair attacks while the other practices dropping back together and playing a reset lob, then advancing again as a unit.
Common Mistakes
Staying Back After the Serve
Lingering at the baseline gives the returner time to hit at your feet. Follow the serve forward.
Returning and Watching
Standing still after the return wastes the chance to take the net. Advance as soon as you've hit.
Leaving the Center to Chance
If neither player is responsible for the middle, opponents will hit there. Agree who covers it in each formation.
Switching Sides Unnecessarily
Constantly swapping roles makes movement harder to read. Keep your side unless you have a clear reason to change.
Advice
Pick one phase to focus on each practice session, for example serve and follow, and rehearse it until it's automatic. Layering one phase at a time works better than trying to fix all your movement at once.
Moving as a pair in padel doubles comes down to knowing what each phase of the point asks of you: follow the serve to the net, return and advance, hold the net together, and drop back together when needed. Build that sequence and your movement stops being a reaction to each shot and becomes a plan that both of you share.
