The fridge, padel tactics

In addition to manufacturing and installing padel courts, at Manzasport we love padel and so we want you to know this sport from every possible point of view. Today we begin our tactical advice column to talk about “the fridge”. Don’t be confused by the name “the fridge”, it is a padel tactic, and today we will tell you about this tactic so that you can get to know it better.

A very common tactic in padel is “the fridge”. It consists of throwing all the balls during the game to one of the couple, leaving the other without the ball, hence its name. This creates a 2 against 1 situation.

It is one of the easiest tactics to perform. Usually “the fridge” is done because there is a large imbalance in the couple, and so the balls go to the weaker player. In other cases, the reason is to tire out one of the players in the couple who has to play all the balls, with the fatigue usually being both physical and mental. Or it is simply used to provoke the stronger player in the couple to play cross game.

Here are some ways to defend yourself from “the fridge”.

• If they are doing these tactics to us and we are comfortable and we are ahead on the scoreboard, we don’t have to change anything, one of the couple will sacrifice himself for the good of the team.
• If the results are not positive and we’re not satisfied with this situation, then we must change the way we play.
• First of all, the player who receives all the balls must start playing in parallel. This will probably force the opponent to play a cross ball to the player in the fridge and thus bring him into the game. If he doesn’t do this and continues to play cross, then we go from an unfavorable 2 vs. 1 situation to an equal 1 vs. 1 situation with parallel play.
• Another way to get out of “the fridge” situation is for the player receiving all balls to go to the net after one of his shots (recommended after a lob or chiquita (small ball)), so there is a high probability that the player who stays in the background will play, and thus he will enter the game.
• Also, when we win the net after a lob or pass, the player who is in the fridge does not go to the net but stays in the background to try to change the game and get the next ball. If this doesn’t happen at the first volley that made his partner, it is recommended to go to the net with him to be in parallel.
• Another option is to play anarchically, then in this anarchy you can confuse your opponents.
• If this is not enough to stop the fridge tactics of our opponents, you just have to play very calmly, quietly and patiently, and prepare for a long match mentally.

With this post, I want to remind amateur players that tactic of “the fridge” is highly recommended in competitions, but very frowned upon in amateur or training matches.

If you’re playing padel with friends and they make you “the fridge,” I recommend you a couple of things. Tell them about it before the match ends, and if it happens again, go take a shower early. Or tell them that you want to train crossover and do individual matches in crossover, the famous king of the court.

If they don’t get it, when they call you again to play ask them where they are after the match and you go.

I hope this post was helpful to some of you.

See you on the courts!

You can follow me on Twitter @senentjuan