Letting the Ball Go
Also known as: dejar pasar, letting it through
Letting the Ball Go means intentionally allowing a fast or deep ball to pass you and rebound off the back glass rather than volleying or striking it in the air. This turns a potential winner into a manageable rebound shot.
In padel, not every ball needs to be intercepted. A fast, flat drive aimed at the back glass is often best left to rebound: intercepting it at pace is high-risk and usually produces an error. By stepping aside and letting the ball travel to the glass, you reset the exchange on your own terms from a stable, balanced position. This is counterintuitive for players arriving from tennis, where allowing a ball to pass is always a lost point. The decision "volley or let go?" is one of the most repeated micro-decisions in padel and is a key marker of tactical intelligence.
When a fast ball approaches below net height on your side, say "let go" aloud as a drill cue and step sideways — after a few weeks this decision becomes automatic rather than reactive.
Train the let-go decision with a partner feeding flat drives at varying speeds. Your job is only to decide and move, never to swing — this isolates the decision skill from the shot execution.
Example
An attacker rips a flat drive low and hard at the back glass. The defender steps aside, allows it to pass, and plays a controlled lob off the rebound.
Why it matters
New padel players often volley balls that should be let go, then scramble to cope with pace they created themselves. Recognising this pattern early saves huge numbers of unforced errors.
How it shows up on video
In video, watch the defending player's body language as a fast drive approaches. Players who should let the ball go often raise their racket and lunge. This makes contact while moving backward — a high-error combination. The correct indicator is a deliberate sideways step out of the ball's path, showing a conscious let-go decision. Check whether your feet move away from or toward the ball on fast drives toward the back glass.
Common mistakes
- Volleying a fast flat drive out of instinct when letting it pass would produce a far safer back-glass rebound.
- Stepping back into the ball's line instead of sideways, getting hit by a ball that was let-go incorrectly.
- Hesitating on the decision — neither committing to the volley nor fully stepping clear — and mis-timing both options.
- Letting go of balls that are actually short enough to be volleyed comfortably at waist height, giving up easy offensive opportunities.
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
Motion Lab estimates your balance at contact. It does not track your court position. On video, look for contacts made while moving backward, a key sign of the reactive-volley error that should have been a let-go.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know when to volley versus let it go?
If the ball is below net height and travelling fast toward the back glass, let it go. If you can take it comfortably at waist height or above with control, volley.
Related terms
- Back GlassThe Back Glass is the tall transparent wall at each end of a padel court. This players use intentionally to extend rallies by letting shots rebound back into play.
- Glass ReadingGlass Reading is the skill of predicting the speed and angle of a ball's rebound off the back or side glass. It lets you set up early and hit cleanly.
- Wall PlayWall play means using the enclosure — letting a ball come off the back or side panel and playing it afterwards — which keeps rallies alive far longer than in tennis and makes positioning matter more than power.
- Defensive Back PositionThe Defensive Back Position is where a pair retreats after losing net control, near the back glass. They focus on lobs and glass reading until they can regain the net.
Related guides & benchmarks
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