Gancho
Also known as: gancho padel, gancho shot, padel gancho, what is a gancho, hook overhead padel
A gancho is a padel overhead for a lob that drifts over your non-dominant shoulder, the left one for a right-hander. Turn your shoulders, reach up with a straight arm and hit over the top of your head, slightly downward. Aim for a deep bounce that comes off the glass and dies near the back. That lets you hold the net.
Gancho means hook in Spanish. It is mostly a right-side shot for right-handers. Lobs aimed down the middle or across often drift over their left shoulder. Turning fully for a bandeja would take too long and leave space behind you. The gancho lets you play the ball over your head from where you are.
Turn your shoulders sideways early, with one or two small steps back at most. Use your normal continental overhead grip. Reach up with a straight hitting arm and meet the ball above your head and a little in front. Swing slightly down and through the ball with a relaxed wrist. Do not swing flat out. The ball is already moving away from you, and too much pace sends it long.
Aim for the ball to bounce deep and then come off the side glass or the back fence. It should die near the back of the court. The opponents stay deep while you reset at the net. Do not hit the glass or fence before the bounce, as that loses the point. The high contact makes the ball bounce higher than a bandeja, and depth keeps it safe. If the lob is over your hitting shoulder, play a bandeja or víbora instead. If it is too deep to reach with a step or two, let it go to the glass or lob.
Tips by skill level
Have a partner feed gentle lobs over your non-hitting shoulder. Focus on a straight arm and a soft, deep finish.
Use the gancho to hide your target. From the same high contact you can send it deep down the middle or toward the side glass.
Example
Holding the net on the right side, Ana sees a lob drift over her left shoulder. She turns her shoulders, reaches up and plays a gancho that bounces deep and comes softly off the side glass. Her opponents stay back and she keeps the net.
Why it matters
The gancho covers the awkward lob over your weaker shoulder without giving up the net. Without it, many players retreat or float a weak overhead.
Common mistakes
- Bending the hitting arm and losing the height that makes the shot work
- Swinging at full power and sending the ball long
- Hitting it short in the court, where it bounces high and is easy to attack
- Using it on a lob over your hitting shoulder, where a bandeja or víbora fits better
Frequently asked questions
What is a gancho in padel?
It is an overhead for a lob that drifts over your non-dominant shoulder. You hit it over the top of your head with a straight arm. Aim deep so the ball bounces, comes off the glass and dies near the back.
What is the difference between a gancho and a bandeja?
The bandeja is played side-on with the ball beside your hitting shoulder. The gancho takes a lob over your other shoulder, with a higher contact above your head. Both aim to keep the net.
How do you hit a gancho in padel?
Turn your shoulders, take a step back if needed and reach up with a straight arm. Hit slightly down and through the ball above your head with a relaxed wrist. Aim deep, not at full power.
Sources
Related terms
- BandejaA bandeja is a controlled sliced overhead — Spanish for "tray" — hit to maintain net position while placing the ball deep with backspin, prioritizing position preservation over outright winning the point.
- VíboraA víbora (Spanish for "viper") is a sliced overhead with wrist-snap sidespin that skids low off the side glass. It adds more pressure than a bandeja but keeps you at the net.
- SmashA smash is a powerful overhead hit downward to finish a point. Here it is often aimed at the back panel so the ball rebounds clean out of the enclosure — the signature finish of the sport.
- Bandeja vs Vibora DecisionThis is the split-second read a net player makes on a moderate lob — too deep to smash, not defensive enough to simply reset. The safe option holds position and asks nothing of your footing; the aggressive one adds pressure but demands both. When in doubt the read is safety.
- Net ControlNet control means a pair holding the front of the court, padel's dominant attacking position. They volley down and smash, while the back pair can only defend and lob.
- Moving Back for a Lob in PadelTo move back for a lob in padel, turn sideways first. Then move back with side shuffles or crossover steps while your free arm points at the ball. Get slightly behind the ball and stop before you hit. Many coaches warn against backpedaling while facing the net. It is slower and makes a fall more likely.
Related guides & benchmarks
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