Sandy FarquharsonFounder at The Padel School | Elevating Padel Players' Performance

Many players think the only way to improve is by playing against better players

26 May 2026 · 1 min

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0:48

In this YouTube coaching clip, Sandy Farquharson debunks the common belief that playing exclusively against stronger opponents is the sole path to improvement. He explains that many players become frustrated after an initial learning phase and hit a performance plateau, mistakenly assuming that simply seeking higher‑rated opponents will automatically raise their skill. Farquharson proposes a structured practice opponent mix—25% lower‑level, 50% same‑level, and 25% higher‑level opponents—combined with a deliberate focus on tactics and technique, as a more effective strategy for continued growth.

Chapters

Many players think that they need to only play against better players if they want to improve their game, but that is a complete myth. When we chat to our members on the platform or players that come to our events and they're frustrated in their game, it is often because they play regularly and they aren't feeling the improvement. Maybe at the beginning they felt improvement as they got to understand the game, but now they've plateaued and they don't really know why. Their solution is often, "Well, I just need to play with better players and that way I'll improve my game automatically." So if you have complete control over your schedule and who you play against, I would recommend trying to play 25% against lower level players, 50% against your level, and 25% against the level above, but really keeping a clear focus on your tactics and your technique focus.