Tips for winning a tie-break in padel

When we enter the court and face a pair with whom we are very evenly matched, it is very likely that we will have to play one of the sets in a sudden death or tie-break. Winning or losing this tie-break in padel, and consequently the set, can make us morally collapse or propel us to sweep our opponents in the next set. That's why we want to leave you a series of tips that will help you to approach and play this important mini-set better.

• The first thing we should consider is whether we should take risks or remain conservative. In principle, there is no predefined tactic in the padel tie-break; everything will depend on how we reached that six-all tie. That is, if we were behind and came back, if we were ahead on the scoreboard and they managed to tie, or if we have been even throughout the match. Other aspects will also influence, such as our confidence at that moment, accumulated fatigue, etc...
• It is very important to be very focused and very intelligent, as the result of the tie-break will influence the next set or lead to the end of the match. We must review the previous games, and evaluate the shots that have given us the best results, and see where our opponents have failed the most. If we have detected that one player of the opposing pair is weaker than the other, we must take advantage of the extra burden they will bear in the tie-break and focus the play on them.
• It is very important to be aware of the score at all times and keep track of it well. You have to play point by point as if it were the last. Remember that it is a very important moment of the match and therefore it is not the time to try or invent new shots or shots that have not landed before. We must be intelligent, do what we know and do it well! We must eliminate silly mistakes and reduce the percentage of unforced errors to zero.
• It is essential not to "choke", as this will ultimately lead us to leave easy balls for our opponents or commit unforced and silly errors. We must think about every point and every ball, waiting for our opportunity to force the play and dominate the point.