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Padel is a complex racket sport with a wide variety of technical actions and tactical possibilities. The aim was to compare the duration of the rallies, the number of shots, the shot frequency and the shot frequency between elite and amateur padel players of different genders, which is necessary to guide the training process. The results show that the duration of the rally is longer in elite padel than in amateur padel, both in men (p < 0.001) and in women (p < 0.001). In addition, according to gender, greater in women's padel than in men's padel, both in elite (p < 0.001) and amateur (p < 0.001). The number of shots per point is greater in elite padel than in amateur padel, both in men (p < 0.001) and in women (p < 0.001). Furthermore, according to gender, greater in women's padel than in men's padel in elite padel (p < 0.001) and no significant differences were found in amateur padel (p = 0.800). The shot frequency is longer in elite padel (X̅ : 0.87) than amateur padel (X̅ : 0.82) and in men padel (X̅ : 0.86) than women padel (X̅ : 0.82), although no significant differences were found. Finally, the player on the right tends to hits the ball less than the player on the left (except women elite players). These results are highly relevant for coaches, as they allow them to guide training processes and quantify the specific workloads of the match based on the gender and level of the players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to analyze the differences between winning and losing pairs depending on the sex and the round of the tournament in professional padel. A total of 814 matches (438 men and 376 women) from the draw rounds of eight World Padel Tour Open and Master tournaments played during the 2022 season were analyzed by systematic observation. The results indicate that the winning pair obtains more points won (p < 0.001), more break balls (p < 0.001), breaks (p < 0.001), golden points won (p < 0.001), and golden points won to the return (p < 0.001) compared to the losing pair, regardless of sex (p < 0.05) and round. Regarding the differences in both sexes, men players obtained more points won (p = 0.025) and golden points won on serve (p = 0.032), while women players obtained more breaks (p = 0.004), with differences in the winning pairs (p < 0.001). Concerning the round, it only influences the golden points won to the return in men's padel (p = 0.037), with a greater difference in the final than in the other rounds. In conclusion, these differences show key game variables that affect the final score, differentiating between sex and establishing game tactics in competition to optimize the players' performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to analyse the shot following the return in men's and women's professional padel according to the importance of the point and the service tactical position. The type of shot following the return, importance of the shot and tactical position of the serving pair were recorded by systematic observation. A total of 2752 points (1431 men's and 1321 women's) from 69 matches played in the 2021 season of the World Padel Tour circuit were used. The results show that while men use more forehand and backhand volleys as shots following the return, women use more trays or smashes and back wall shots. In addition, while the server is the one who plays the most third shots following a straight return in men's padel (forehand and backhand volleys) and women's (forehand volleys and backhand volleys), the server's partner is the one who plays the most third shots following a lob return in the men's category (trays or smashes and back wall shots) and women's category (trays or smashes and back wall shots). Moreover, the importance of the point and the service position are parameters that affect the shot following the return in men's and women's professional padel. Thus, these findings are very novel as it is the first investigation to analyse the shot following the return in professional padel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this research was to analyze how situational variables such as the tactical position and the direction of the serve, the return's direction, and the score affect the vertical trajectory (VT) of the return (straight or lob) in men's and women's professional padel. For this, a sample of 2752 points (1431 men and 1321 women) corresponding to 69 matches played in the 2021 season of the World Padel Tour circuit was used. The VT of the return (straight or lob), to which player it was oriented, how important the point was attending to the score, the tactical position of the serving players, and the direction of the serve by systematic observation were recorded. The results showed that situational variables had a significant influence on the type of vertical return trajectory. Men performed a significantly higher percentage of straight returns (three out of four returns) when returning to the player at serve, or at a nonkey moment, or Australian position, or when the serve was to the body or to the side wall. In contrast, women returned a significantly higher percentage of lob returns (three out of four returns) to the server's partner, or in golden point situations, or in serves to the "T" and to the body, regardless of the tactical position at serve. The return had not been analyzed considering the score, observing changes in the golden points. These results have a great impact both on carrying out specific return training and on improving pair's anticipation to serve in different return situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Padel is an intermittent sport that has significantly increased its practice in the past years. Previous studies showed that physical demands significantly differed depending on the results of the match (win or lose). However, no previous studies have investigated the effects on the heart rate variability (HRV) of padel players. The present study examined the impact of winning or losing a padel match on the player's HRV. A total of 27 players, with a mean age of 37.26 (9.42) years old and a body mass index (BMI) of 26.26 (3.21) participated in our study. The participant's HRV was assessed before, during and after a padel match. The match results were used to divide the sample between winners and losers. Time domain, frequency domain and non-linear measures were extracted. Results showed that both groups significantly decreased their HRV during and after the match. However, significant differences (p > 0.05) were not found between winners and losers in the HRV while playing padel or after the match. These differences could indicate that the physical load was similar in the two groups. Results highlight the importance and usefulness of analysing the HRV as an indicator of post-competitive fatigue in medium-level padel players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 2020 season the World Padel Tour (WPT) has incorporated the golden point rule, which consists of playing a point to decide the game when the score is deuce (40–40). The objective of this study was to analyze the characteristics of the golden points and the rest of the points in men's and women's professional padel, as well as to identify the differences between both types of points. A sample of 2752 points (1431 men's and 1321 women's) was used from 394 games identified and finished with a golden point, corresponding to 69 matches played in the 2021 season of the WPT circuit. The variables recorded were the type of point (golden points and non-golden points), player serving, tactical service position, number of net exchanges, effectiveness of the partner serving and effectiveness of the last shot through systematic observation. The results indicate that during the golden points in men's padel, the Australian position is usually used more, while in women's padel the Australian position is more common when the player on the right serves and the traditional one when the player on the left serves. In addition, both in men and women, the most common serves are those directed towards the side wall. On the other hand, except for the errors in women's padel during the golden points, the winning shots are made in areas close to the net and the errors in areas at the back of the court. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to analyse the effectiveness of finishing actions in men's and women's professional padel. To do this, the category, the type of finishing actions, the type of shot and the number of shots in 5513 points from five World Padel Tour tournaments were analysed. The results showed that men made more winners and fewer errors than women (p < 0.001); with smashes usually being the most frequently used shots to make winners, also highlighting the forehand off the wall smash in women's padel. The back wall shots and forehand or backhand shots without a wall appear as the most frequent errors in these finishing actions. Also, while men tend to make more errors with forehand volleys, women hit more winners with this shot. Men and women padel players make more errors (CSR = 6.7; CSR = 5.5) and fewer winners (CSR = −6.7; CSR = −5.5) in the first five shots of each point. However, they make fewer errors and more winning shots as the number of shots per point increases. These findings are highly relevant, since the style of play differs according to the gender of the players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Padel tennis is played on different surfaces and the padel tennis court is made of different materials. This influences how the ball can be played back after it hits or bounces on them. The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of shots played to the fence in professional padel tennis. A total of 489 shots to the fence played by the 8 best pairs (16 male and 16 female players) competing in an international professional tournament were recorded. Using an observational methodology, variables such as the distance of the shot to the net, the side of the court from which the shot was played, the trajectory of the shot and the type of shot were analysed and compared according to gender and effectiveness. The results showed that in women's padel, the overhead shot was significantly more used to play the ball to the fence (48.4%) as compared to men's padel (39.9%), where volleys were significantly more used (39.5%) as compared to women's padel (30.5%). Crosscourt shots were significantly more effective (24.2%) than the down the line ones (16.8%). Groundstrokes were the strokes which produced significantly higher number of winners (25.2%) as well as errors (31.1%). As the distance to the net increased, the effectiveness of the shot played to the fence significantly decreased. These data can serve as a reference for padel players and coaches when planning training sessions adapted to the characteristics of the competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]