Finishing with Composure: Mastering the Art of Closing Points

How did you almost get to a stage where, like, you see on television and the professionals, where you feel like no matter what the score is, that they're able to finish points with a cool head? Sandy, we are live.

We have a lift off. Yeah, we're live, Tom, with our podcast episode for today. Exciting episodes. I love talking about this when we're running, like, tactical sessions or more advanced sessions. And today the focus is going to be finishing points. I suppose the best way to finish points is with a cool head, like, you know, calmly. And so that's almost going to be our theme, I think, for today's podcast. How calm are you when you're finishing points?

Oh, well, it depends, doesn't it? I think, for everyone? I think. Well, apart from the professionals that seem to do it always with a cool head, I think that generally there's times when you do finish with a cool head, and then I think the. Especially when the. When the match gets tight, I think it gets harder and harder to finish with a cool head, doesn't it?

I think so. I think if you think, especially for those coming from tennis, it's almost like you hit an approach, like you start the point both at the back, right. I mean, unless you serve volley, but you generally start the point both at the back. You hit an approach, you come forward to net, and already, like, your adrenaline is getting higher in the point there because you've actually had to, you know, move up the core and be really attacking to get there. You don't often get there with a soft shot to the feet or with a lob or something like that, you know, so you get to net, then you think, right, I've got to finish this point in the next shot or two. I mean, very rarely it goes past there. So your adrenaline almost spikes when you come up to your volley or smash in tennis, whereas in paddle, and this is where I think most tennis players go wrong, is they come to paddle court and they get to net, and they think that they're so excited, they. They hit fast volleys, they hit fast smashes, and it's almost like they need to finish the point right there and then. And I think that was my. One of my biggest transitions, I think tactically away from tennis to paddle was, you know, really you've got to be calm, like you can defend at net, and you regularly defend at net. And so it's almost like you've got to just treat that as a. Just almost a different territory.

Yeah. And I also think that if I compare it to tennis as well, is that in tennis when you are in those positions, it's almost seen as, as a failure on your part if you're in, if you're attacking and you lose that ability if you don't finish or if you, if you suddenly it turns around. I mean, in tennis you do have moments where attack turns to defense. But I feel like in Padel, actually it's very common, isn't it, to be attacking and then suddenly opponent to play a good shot and then you go back into the fence and it's not like you've, you failed there, it's just, it's how the flow of a paddle point works. And so I think sometimes mentally at least, and I, I've experienced this, and I'm, I'm sure some of the listeners have as well, is that it's almost like in, in Padaw, where you're in that tackling position. You kind of feel like if I haven't finished here and I've gone back into defense, it's almost, it feels like a failure on your part, whereas actually it's just a part of, of how paddle is.

Yeah, it's interesting that, isn't it like that. I understand that that fear of failure is almost like you get up there, you think this was an opportunity and they, they lob you. You know, interestingly, there's not really a passing shot in paddle like in tennis, you hear a volley, they hear passing winner past you. I mean, there's no way you are running back and getting that ball like that's done right. So it is a different dynamic. I think it's quite interesting as well. Like we played a, a game yesterday where we played against each other, but with lower level players. And it's quite interesting because they were, you know, the discussion from my side of the court, he was like, oh, but usually I can finish the point against my opponent like that. And he was on the cross court with you. And I was like, look, you're just gonna, you're gonna have to face it that you're going to need to play like one or two more difficult balls or probably even more than that, four or five more difficult balls before you get your opportunity. And when you do get your opportunity, then yes, absolutely, go for it. Like you need to give it everything when you get the chance, but just almost be a bit more patient in attack, I think.

Yeah. I guess the thing is, is how do you train finishing points with a cool head? Because I think we identified what it is and I think we both experienced it. I think People listening have experienced it as well. So how would you almost get to a stage where like we see on the television and the professionals where you feel like they're, no matter what the score is, that they're able to, to finish points with a cool head? How, how do you get there? Is there, is there a technique? Is it just pure volume of experience of playing paddle or what are your thoughts on that?

I think it's trained, I think it like it's trained like anything else. Like it's a bit like in. If you were, and we use tennis as another example, if you were practicing, you know, approach and volley, you would maybe hit a ground stroke, then you'd hit an approach shot, then you come forward and you'd volley. You're not in a drill in tennis going to be lobbed by the coach and then run back and then play a ball from the back again or, or even in a, a training drill with your partner, right? Like it's, you know, you, you are trained in tennis to finish the point. And I think, you know, in Padel, when it comes to the training of that, I think this is where it's so important is drills is I, you come forward to net and you have to play a couple of balls. Then your partner might lob and you move back, you play a bande, you recover the net, you get lobs again, you go back, you play a bit harder. Like these are all like within drills. I think if you can train and get volume moving up and down the court, but in a way that is, is not constantly trying to finish early and be aggressive, then you build up a kind of, I would say a muscle memory to it, but also you build up a mental understanding. That's how a point will be. And I think that's almost the best way. And you know, if you look at drills in general, like our drill book, for example, right. 75 plus drills, none of them, other than some on the vibra, maybe a few on the tops in Smash, none of them are designed for you to finish the point. Like they're designed for you to put sequences of shots together in a pattern so that you will be able to replicate that on a match court, but also build consistency and accuracy of those. Right. Like, so I don't, you know, I think it's, I think it's trained more than anything. If you're stuck for ideas when you train, grab our paddle drill book. It's packed with over 70 drills you can implement straight away. Just head to the paddleschool.com drillbook and we'll also have a link in the show notes.

And we always talk about tennis to paddle transition. Do you feel like, for example squash, the paddle is a slightly. When it comes to this. I know there's, for example tennis to paddle. There's benefits of the volley, maybe the overheads or the smash, that is a benefit. But do you feel like in squash players have a bit of an advantage at least from the mental side coming. I think there's different levels, isn't there, in terms of what, what are the benefits from coming from the sports?

I think, yeah, squash players definitely like high level squash players, right? Because it's a bit like high level paddle players. Like the, the point goes on longer so you need to be more strategic and more patient about how you finish the point. If you look at low level squash, people are whacking it and they hit winners. But a high level, like the points are long, you've got to be really patient. You've got to almost strategize how you're going to win that point. And very often you go from attack to defense to attack to defense within a point. And so I think, I think good squash players, that mentality translate translates really well to a paddle court and, and the understanding there. Whereas, you know, obviously tennis players, you, you don't get that. I think anything in a way that is, is quite patient is good. And even we, we've recently done some filming like Sam Billings and you know, and he's talking, we're talking about like you know, being a batsman and in a test match that goes on for days you're in, you've got to maintain a concentration over such a long period of time and almost be near perfect. And I think it, you know, any ex professional or ex sports player from a different sport, you can carry some things across to paddle. And if your sport has patience, then that's perfect.

The reason I ask is that a lot of the times we ask questions from players and they look at for example doubles tennis players and make the assumption that they're going to be so well transitioned over to paddle because it's, it's unlike say singles tennis where it's obviously 1v1 and doubles it's 2v2. And so there's this assumption that, well, okay, double tennis players, because they've got good volleys, because they've got good reactions, that they're going to make the transition so, so easily to paddle. But this mental side I think is really interesting because in doubles and tennis is, is very different to Paddle, I mean if you watch doubles and tennis, it's all about really trying to finish the point in three shots. So I just think that it's really interesting that transitions from the, the kind of physical and mental side from, from different sports.

Yeah, and, and I think it's different. Even you're talking about singles to doubles players. Like I think the advantage, and I agree with you, I think doubles and tennis, yes, you are trying to finish points quickly and you play almost through your opponent or past your opponent, but you are also used to being as a pair on the court and you, you think for your partner and you know that as a pair, if you're both playing well, then that's going to bring the best out of both of you. And I think, I think tennis players, single tennis players are very single minded. Like they're very self focused because that's what they need in order to succeed. And so, you know, even in the same sport like tennis, there's a big difference I think between how people can transfer and come across. And it's also worth remembering that, I mean we played actually with someone that you played tennis with as a junior, like a very good, you know, played on the tour, very good tennis player. And it's also worth remembering that transition is going to take time. It's funny because you use a, a ball that's very similar to tennis. People think, oh, I'll be able to pick paddle up in a few days and I'll, I'll be good. No, I don't know anyone who is a tennis player that thinks, oh I'll be a good squash player in a week. Like it's just not, it doesn't work like that. And, and so, you know, I, I think it's almost like the same mindset needs to be applied here, applied here. I don't know any like pro level tennis players that have made the transition to high level paddle quickly. Like it's taken years for everyone, like for everyone.

I think it's relative, isn't it? Because where the sport is in the UK you're potentially a, let's say good, a good level tennis player is at his local club. They're probably, you've got a lot of times of people playing tennis on a paddle court, haven't you? Haven't really got the example of what, what does good look like? What is, what does a good paddle player look like? So those there just aren't enough paddle players at the moment, which is obviously, you know, one of our goals is to get more paddle players across the country, across the world. But yeah, I think, I think that's also the case. And you don't know what you don't know. I think, and I think a lot of tennis players probably come onto paddle court and are the best in their club straight away. And, and then it's the big shock to system when they come up against the paddle player or at least a transition paddle player. And yeah, now, now they know what, what the game's really like.

Well, it's a bit, it's almost the size of the pond, isn't it? You know, like at the moment we see players that are saying on, you know, ranked top 50 in Great Britain and you know, you think even if you compare that to another country that's not even at the top, like, you know, like France, for example, like they're, they, they're strong, but they're not Spain or Argentina. Like that person who's 15 in, in UK would be, you know, like 800 in France and then they would be 8, 000 in Spain. Right. Like, and it's just, it's just we don't have that level at the moment. It's understandable based on the number of courts, based on how long we've had it, how established cubs are, how the coaching is. Like, it's normal that we don't, we're not at the top of it yet, but it is something to, you know, to definitely to bear in mind.

Yeah. And I mean, tying it back to almost the topic of the podcast today around finishing points with a cool head. I think a great point you made there around the importance of drilling. Why we have our drill book as well is a big thing, not just playing matches. I think obviously matches are important because it's good to train finishing points under pressure when the pressure is on. But I think there's another side of this that's really important to get that training in. So when you do go onto the match court, you are kind of trained and it's. Yeah, you have that kind of volume of reps in, in your system.

But yeah, sorry, I think it's, I think it's important as well to think like if you think back to when you started and it's slightly different when I started because I started with paddle players. But, but even if you think about when you start with tennis players, yes, you can go down to the club with the four strongest in your club and yes, you could all play tennis style, paddle and play very fast and smashable and have a lot of fun. But if you said to yourselves, like as a group, right, let's really try and make this a paddle, you know, a paddle specific performance essentially. Like let's, let's really try and play like proper paddle. Like that's how you're, you're going to improve is like it's almost being patient and we do loads of drills and conditions like you know, maybe you say, right, you can't hit aggressive batches, for example, and do little things that can make you play a little bit more paddle. But it's difficult. It's so satisfying to play fast and aggressive and hit a smash and it's your comfort zone. That's why often players don't do it. So many players struggle to get access to good coaching. Or maybe you've got a coach at your club who's good, but they don't have any availability. If you want to access full training roadmaps, the paddle school membership is the best place to start. You can head to the padschool.com everything there is included. You can start improving your game straight away and, and we'll see you in there.

Well, Sandy, super interesting episode. I think at least for me, I still still need to work on finishing points with a cool head of time. So I feel like it's, it's definitely an ongoing skill to master and I'm.

Sure, I think you see in a premiere, right, like you see it Tapri and Quo against Chingoto Galan and they're playing a long point and at some point they lose a bit of patience and they go for a really aggressive smash on a ball that was slightly too difficult. And that's because they, you know, haven't been able to kind of keep a cool head and keep patient throughout the point. So if it's happening for those guys, Tom, we should, you know, not be too harsh on ourselves.

Exactly. Well, San, as we wrap up this episode we going to go to the comments section and Maria's got a comment which I think is a good discussion point is she says that what I find is that the partner plays as well as, as well a role in making the way you could finish the ball. But how can you ask the partner to help you about it when it feels that this is not the case? Feels quite often a partner not always helping you with making the moment for it.

I think it's, it's that whole thing we talked about it almost of going down to the club and having a mindset as a group that you're going to play good paddle and that's one of the most difficult things we have that loads of times when, you know, you come to a training. Well, Maria's like been to one of our paddle holidays, right. And so on our paddle holiday we spend the whole time talking about patience and consistency and tactics and let's build the point and use this transition here. But then you go back to your club and you play with someone who hasn't been taught to do that and they play their own way and they play aggressive and it's really difficult because if you stay patient and play good paddle but your partner is excitable and trying to finish points and being impatient, then it can be really difficult for you as a pair to have a good performance. So, you know, almost the best advice is, you know, get your partner on one of the paddle holidays or on the platform. But really it's almost like you need to emphasize the importance of, you know, trying to play good paddle as a pair.

Yeah, it's a really good point. And also especially in, I know this in environments where, you know, perhaps you're playing in tournaments where you keep switching partner. I mean that, that can also happen at social paddle events where you can lots of different partners and varying different kind of approaches and experiences and it is a big challenge. But, but yeah, we, we understand Maria and she said yes, but what I find is that there's a resistance to people getting trained. They seem preferred to play matches rather than getting into the training mode. Don't know if you find that as well. We absolutely do find that.

Yeah, I find that it's really interesting. I think that that's almost the timeline of the, the sport in the country. Like I find at the beginning and it was the same, you know, across Europe. It was the same in the uae. When I live there is like the first year or two everyone's so, oh, I just want to play points, I just want to do, you know, I want to play matches. I'm. There's a bit at the beginning where everyone has self belief so they are the greatest at the sport and then they plateau and they get frustrated that they're not improving and then they go to training because their friends get a bit better than them or they get frustrated. And so, you know, we absolutely find that and we hope it's just a part on the journey and then at some point they decide they actually do need training if they want to improve at sport.

Well, the good news is that everyone on the platform is, is ahead of the game before that curve, aren't they? So yeah, certainly we won't have those issues. It's a really good point. And yeah, Maria kind of completely understand both points you make that, you know, having there is a resistance as well for people getting trained. But hopefully that will change as the sport grows.

An absolute pleasure having you on the podcast today, a discussion point that will be continuing when I'm on the bench at the next Euros. And you know, thank you for those tuning in. And if you've got any further questions, pop them in our our community. And any questions about topics. We always take our our topics from our community. Thepadaschool.com so best place to be.