"Do you play left or right?" It's one of the first questions a new partner asks. Here's how to answer it.
In doubles, each player usually sticks to one half of the court for the whole match. You'll hear it said in two ways: right side and left side, or, borrowing the Spanish terms, drive and revés.
Neither side is "better". They ask for slightly different things, and most pairs play best when each player is on the side that suits them. This guide explains the difference, the usual jobs on each side, and how to work out where you belong.
The basics: which side is which
Stand at the back of your half of the court, facing the net.
- The half on your right is the drive side (also called the forehand side or "derecha").
- The half on your left is the revés side (the backhand side).
The names come from how things line up for a right-handed player. On the right side, your forehand faces the side wall and your backhand covers the middle. On the left side, it's the other way round: your backhand faces the side wall and your forehand covers the middle.
That one detail explains a lot about how the two roles tend to split.
The right side (drive)
The right-side player is often described as the builder of the point. Typical jobs:
- Returning serve in the right-hand box. The right-side player takes the returns on that side, which includes the first point of every game.
- Consistency from the back. Keeping the ball deep and low, using the walls well and waiting for the right ball to go forward.
- Lobs and resets. A reliable lob to push opponents off the net is a big part of the role.
- Balls down the middle on the backhand. For a right-hander, the middle is the backhand side, so a solid backhand volley helps.
Players who like the right often describe themselves as steady, patient and happy to grind out points.
The left side (revés)
The left-side player is often the one who finishes points, though plenty of pairs share that job. Typical jobs:
- More overheads. For a right-hander on the left, lobs down the middle land on their forehand side, so the left-side player usually takes more of the overheads: bandejas, víboras and smashes.
- The forehand in the middle. Balls down the centre often go to the left-side player, because it's their forehand.
- Backhand off the side wall. The corner on the left is played with the backhand, which takes practice.
- Returns in the left-hand box, which includes points like 15-0 and 40-30.
Players who like the left are often comfortable taking the overhead and happy to be the one who goes for the finishing shot.
A word on left-handers
Left-handers flip the picture. A left-hander on the right side has their forehand in the middle, just like a right-hander on the left. So a pair with a left-hander on the right and a right-hander on the left has two forehands covering the centre, and both backhands facing the side walls.
Other pairs put the left-hander on the left, so their forehand faces the side wall and their overhead covers that side. Both setups are used, and the best choice depends on the two players involved, not on a rule.
Who takes the middle?
Balls down the middle cause plenty of "yours!" "no, yours!" moments. A simple default that many pairs use: the player with the forehand in the middle takes it. For two right-handers, that's the left-side player.
Plenty of pairs adjust this. The player who is closer to the net, or who hit the previous shot, might take it instead. What matters is that you agree before the match, not during a rally.
How to choose your side
If you're not sure, ask yourself a few questions:
- How strong is your overhead? If you're confident smashing and hitting bandejas, the left often suits you. If overheads are a work in progress, the right may feel more comfortable.
- How good is your backhand off the side wall? The left-side corner is played on the backhand for right-handers. If that shot is shaky, it will show on the left.
- Are you a builder or a finisher? Patient players who like long rallies often enjoy the right. Players who like to end points often enjoy the left.
- What does your partner prefer? If your regular partner is a natural left-side player, the decision may already be made. Being able to play both sides makes you a much easier partner to find.
- Which hand do you play with? See the left-hander note above. It changes where your forehand sits.
Then test it. Play a run of matches on one side, then a run on the other, and see which one feels more natural and where your results are better. If you're fairly new, it's worth trying both before you settle.
Swapping sides mid-match
Players keep their receiving positions for a whole set under the FIP Rules of Padel, and on a golden point or Star Point the receiving pair can choose which side to receive on but can't swap positions to do it. During a rally, though, you can move wherever the ball takes you: switching sides after a lob to cover the court is normal.
So the choice of left or right is mainly about who returns where and who covers which half during normal play.
Tracking your side in PADLR.
When you log a doubles match in PADLR., you can record your side of the court. If you set a preferred court side in Edit Profile, it's filled in for you, and you can change it for any match where you played the other side. You can set your side when you book a match too.
With PADLR. Pro, your stats show your win rate on each side, which side you're stronger on, and your side with each partner, based on the sides you've logged. It's a simple way to check whether your go-to side is actually working for you. The more consistently you log your side, the more useful that number gets.
Your rating itself doesn't depend on which side you play. It comes from results against what was expected, score margins and how settled each player's rating is. More on that in how the rating system works, and our guide to logging a match shows where the side option sits.
Still working out your level before you worry about your side? Try our padel level quiz.
Questions or corrections? Reach out to us at rebellionlabsofficial@gmail.com
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