Set aside half an hour in Tokyo for two practice themes: Serving with a plan and The return: calm over risk. Start without scoring, then test the same decisions in a short doubles game.
Set aside half an hour in Tokyo for two practice themes: Serving with a plan and The return: calm over risk. Start without scoring, then test the same decisions in a short doubles game.
The first five minutes
One venue for this session is Padel Tokyo. When booking, make sure your group has a court together. Start with short, gentle rallies and decide who will feed the first ball before you begin scoring.
05–13 · Serving with a plan
Stay behind the service line, bounce the ball in your own serving area and hit diagonally at no higher than waist level. At least one foot must touch the ground. After a correct bounce, hitting the fence before the second ground bounce is a fault. Two attempts.
Choose a generous target, breathe out once and repeat the same sequence. At first you need neither maximum spin nor speed. A reliable second serve removes pressure from the whole service game.
Practice · Serve three times from the right and three from the left. The receiver watches the bounce and calls the landing spot. Count legal first serves.
13–21 · The return: calm over risk
Choose a position from which you can reach both deeper and shorter serves. Keep the racket ready and watch contact. Compact preparation is especially useful when reaction time is short.
Start by returning under control to a large zone. A calm, low return can make the first volley harder. A lob makes sense with enough time and a stable contact point; under heavy pressure it quickly becomes too short.
Practice · Play six points only as far as the return. Count a deep, controlled return as a success, then swap serving and receiving roles.
21–30 · Nine minutes with a score
Play the last few minutes as doubles. Choose one of the two themes and remember a point where it worked. After the last ball, describe the moment before the shot: where were the opponents, where was the space and which decision would you repeat?
A question players ask
How can we practise with mixed abilities?
Ask the more consistent player to feed a controlled ball. Count good decisions together at first. Move on to open play once both pairs can repeat the pattern.
