The short version. A ball off the side glass keeps travelling in the same direction along the court but changes sideways. A double wall changes direction twice. Read the angle early, give yourself room, and play it as it comes out, usually as a lob.
How the side glass changes a ball
The side glass flips the ball’s sideways direction but keeps its forward motion. A ball heading into your side wall towards the back comes out heading towards the back and the middle. If it then hits the back glass, it comes out towards the net and the middle. That is the classic double wall.
Where to stand
Don’t stand in the corner. Stand a step or two off it, towards the middle, with your body turned towards the corner. You want the ball to come out of the corner towards you, not to arrive while you are squashed against the glass.
Reading the angle
- Ball low and fast into the side glass: it will come out fast and low. Shorten your swing and block it.
- Ball high and slow: it will come out high, perfect for a lob or, if very high, a bajada.
- Ball deep into the corner: expect the double wall. Turn your shoulders early.
Playing it out
Most double walls are best answered with a lob down the middle: you’re off balance and the middle gives you the most margin. If the ball comes out short and high near the service line, you may have time to attack it instead.
Drill
Feed balls into the side glass from the net and play every one only after it has hit two walls. Ten in a row before you move on. It is fiddly, frustrating and exactly how the instinct develops.
For the simpler version, start with playing off the back glass.
Quick answers
What is a double wall in padel?
A ball that hits two walls on your side after bouncing, usually side glass then back glass, or the other way round. It changes direction twice before you play it.
Which is harder, side then back or back then side?
Back then side usually, because the ball comes out towards the middle of the court and close to your body. Side then back tends to come out towards the centre where you have room.