Padel Doubles Positioning: Where to Stand and How to Move as a Team

November 10, 2026

Padel is almost always played as doubles, and where you stand matters as much as how you hit. Two players who move together leave very few gaps. Two players who drift apart give the other team an easy target, usually right through the middle.

This guide covers the two basic positions, where to stand when serving and returning, how to move forward, back and sideways as a pair, who takes the middle and how to talk to your partner. It is written for new and improving club players. If you are brand new to the game, start with our padel glossary for the terms used below.

The two positions: at the net or at the back

LTA Padel, the governing body for padel in Britain, puts it simply: you will usually be in one of two positions, up at the net with your partner or both toward the back of the court defending.

At the net is the attacking position. You can volley, play a bandeja and put pressure on the other team. LTA Padel's match tactics guide says being at the net gives you a broader range of options because you can see the whole court.
At the back is the defensive position. You play groundstrokes, use the glass and look for a way to get back to the net, most often with a lob.

In our view, the space in between, around and just behind the service line, is where you pass through on your way forward or back. It is not a good place to stay, because balls arrive at your feet and you have neither the net nor the back glass to help you.

Rule one: move as a pair

The Padel School puts the core idea plainly. One of the major goals in padel is to get to the net and stay there, and the pair should move together. If one player goes forward while the other stays back, a big gap opens on the diagonal through the middle of the court.

A useful picture is an invisible rope between you and your partner:

When your partner moves forward, you move forward.
When your partner is lobbed and has to go back, you go back too.
When your partner is pulled toward the side glass, you shift toward the center to close the middle.

LTA Padel also lists moving and communicating with your partner as one of its core beginner skills.

Two Mint padel rackets crossed on a white background with two tubes of Cannonballz padel balls and a single yellow ball

Where to stand when receiving

According to The Padel School, the receiving pair starts in the classic return position: about a step behind the service line and two steps from the side glass on each side. Both players watch the return, not just the receiver.

After the return, the goal is to take the net together. A good lob over the net team, or a low ball at their feet such as a chiquita, gives you time to move up side by side.

Where to stand when serving

Serve rules are covered in our padel serve rules guide, so we will keep this to positioning. Under the FIP Rules of Padel, the receiver, the receiver's partner and the server's partner can stand anywhere on their own side of the court. That freedom matters for the serving team.

The server serves from behind their service line, then moves forward to join their partner.
The server's partner can already be up near the net, ready to volley, because they are free to stand anywhere on their side.
As a pair, aim to be side by side at the net after the first exchange. If the return is a good lob that pushes you back, go back together.

Moving forward and back

Most points are a fight for the net. A few simple habits help:

Go forward together after a good lob. If your lob pushes both opponents back, both of you move up.
Hold the net with the bandeja. If a lob does not push you all the way back, one player can step back, play a bandeja and return to the net. The Padel School describes this as the way to keep your attacking position.
Retreat together after a great lob. If one of you is forced to the back wall, the other goes back too. Staying at the net alone leaves big spaces to attack.
Get close, but stay ready for the lob. LTA Padel advises staying close to the net when attacking. Our tip: keep your weight ready to move back so a lob does not catch you flat.

Learning to play off the back glass makes defending much easier. Our padel wall rules guide explains which balls you can play off the walls.

Moving sideways and covering the middle

Lateral movement is where many club pairs leave gaps. The Padel School gives two examples:

Defending at the back: if your partner is pulled into the corner near the side glass, you move toward the center to cover the easy volley down the middle.
At the net: if your partner is pulled toward the side, you slide across to cover the middle. This leaves your opponents only a narrow crosscourt gap or a lob.

The person closer to the ball covers the line. The partner covers the center.

Who takes the middle?

Balls down the middle cause the most confusion, and LTA Padel's match tactics guide recommends hitting down the middle for exactly that reason. Agree with your partner before you play. The Padel School notes that it is usually, but not always, the forehand player who takes middle balls. Whatever you agree, call it.

Talk to your partner

Short, clear calls save points:

"Mine" or "yours" on every middle ball.
"Up" or "back" when you want to move as a pair.
"Switch" if you cross sides to chase a ball.
Tell your partner where the opponents are when they are playing a ball off the back glass. The Padel School points out that the player hitting off the glass cannot see the opponents, so your call helps them pick the right shot.

Common positioning mistakes

These are the positioning mistakes we see most often in club matches.

One player at the net, one at the back.
Both players standing in the middle of the court around the service line.
Leaving the middle open when your partner is pulled wide.
Chasing balls on your partner's side without a call.
Rushing the net behind a short, weak lob.

A simple positioning drill

This is a session we like for practicing movement as a pair.

Shadow movement (5 minutes). Without a ball, one player calls "up," "back," "left" or "right" and both move together, keeping the same gap.
Lob and climb (10 minutes). One pair at the net, one pair at the back. The back pair lobs, then both players move up together if the lob is good. Play the point out.
Middle ball calls (10 minutes). A coach or third player feeds balls down the middle. The pair must call before every ball.

LTA Padel suggests practicing moving forward after a deep shot, recovering your position after each return and moving across the court with your partner.

Gear for match play

Positioning is free, but a racket that suits your level makes the volleys and bandejas at the net easier to control. From the current Mint listings:

The Merite is listed as a teardrop racket with a 3K/3D carbon fiber face, a medium Dense+ Black EVA core and medium balance, built for a balanced blend of control, power, touch and consistency.
The Merveille is listed as a slightly oversized teardrop with a 12K carbon fiber face, a medium density Dense+ Black EVA core and medium balance.
The Manouvre is listed as a diamond racket with a 12K carbon fiber face, a soft Dense Black EVA core and medium balance, built for quick reactions and fast attacking play.

Not sure which shape suits you? Our guides on how to choose a padel racket and round vs teardrop vs diamond rackets can help. For balls, see Cannonballz Premium Tournament Padel Balls and our guide to how long padel balls last. Browse every racket in our padel rackets collection.

Quick checklist

Two positions: both at the net or both at the back.
Move as a pair, forward, back and sideways.
Receivers start a step behind the service line, two steps from the side glass.
When your partner is pulled wide, cover the middle.
Agree who takes middle balls and call every one.
Tell a partner hitting off the back glass where the opponents are.

FAQ

Should both padel players be at the net at the same time? Ideally, yes. Pairs aim to attack from the net together and defend from the back together. One up and one back leaves a gap through the middle.

Do you switch sides in padel doubles? In our experience, players generally stay on their own side and cover it in both attack and defense. We suggest that if you have to cross over to chase a ball, you call "switch" so your partner covers your side.

Who takes the ball down the middle in padel? Agree before the match. It is often the forehand player, but clear calls matter more than the rule you choose.