Chiquita: The Low-Tempo Attacking Shot in Padel

In padel, the chiquita is a slow, low, controlled shot sent towards the feet of the opponent at the net. Its aim is not to finish the point; it is to force the opponent to answer with a weak volley from below and to take the net together with your partner. A chiquita played at the right time is the cheapest and safest way to go from defence to attack.

This is also one of the things players moving from beginner to intermediate level struggle with most on our indoor courts at Beytepe: when the ball comes, seeing no third option other than either hitting hard or lobbing. The chiquita is exactly that third option.

What is the chiquita padel shot and where does the name come from?

The Spanish word “chiquita” means “small”. In padel, this word is used for a slow, low groundstroke that lands a short distance away. The shot is usually played from the back half of the court, sometimes off a ball coming off the glass, and lands between the opponent’s ankle and knee height at the net, often in the area between the service line and the net.

The chiquita should not be confused with the drop shot (short ball). A drop shot is played to land close to the net while the opponent is at the back of the court, aiming to win the point directly. A chiquita is played when the opponent is already at the net, and the aim is not to win the point but to deny the opponent the chance to “hit up”. When watching Premier Padel matches you will notice the defending players alternating between the lob and the chiquita through long rallies; this pair is the defensive skeleton of modern padel.

The physics that makes the chiquita effective

The player at the net comfortably volleys balls between shoulder height and chest height downwards. However, when the ball drops below the knee, they have to open the racket face and lift the ball upwards. A volley lifted upwards cannot be fast either; it buys you and your partner time to move forward. The whole logic of the chiquita rests on this gravity advantage.

When should you play a chiquita?

Trying a chiquita on every ball does nothing but give the opponent a rhythm. The power of the shot comes from choosing it at the right moment. The following situations are ideal opportunities for a chiquita:

• When opponents are glued to the net: If they are not even a metre from the net, a ball dropping at their feet is very hard for them.
• On the return of serve: While the player who has served and run to the net is not yet balanced, a slow return to their feet is often met with a half-volley. We cover this topic separately in padel return strategies article.
• When the ball comes to you low and slow: Hitting hard at a comfortable ball below the waist raises the risk of error; a controlled chiquita is smarter.
• When the lob is not working against the opponent: If one of the opponents hits a very good smash, it makes sense to reduce the number of lobs and keep the game low with a chiquita.
• On balls coming off the glass: A ball coming softly off the back glass offers a natural position for a controlled chiquita in front of your body.

Moments when you should avoid the chiquita

If the ball is at shoulder height and fast, a chiquita is hard to play; control is lost and the ball either hits the net or rises. If the opponent is two or three metres back from the net line, a slow ball gives them plenty of time and a good height. In this case, a deep lob or a faster shot towards the feet is more effective.

Step-by-step chiquita technique

The chiquita looks technically simple, but holding the balance of “slow and low” takes real precision. Try the following steps on court one by one:

1. Grip: Play with the continental grip. This grip lets you open the racket face slightly and allows a slice shot. For the basics of the grip, continental grip and wrist strap check out the guide.
2. Get low: Bend your knees and drop to the level of the ball. Lowering with your legs instead of bending at the waist protects both control and your back health.
3. Short backswing: Take the racket back only to hip height, not shoulder height. A long swing speeds up the ball; we do not want speed in the chiquita.
4. Contact point: Meet the ball in front of and beside your body. If you are late, the ball escapes upward.
5. Face angle: Racket face slightly open, the motion from high to low and forward. This gives the ball a slight backspin, reducing its bounce.
6. Follow-through: A short, soft follow-through towards the target. Keep the wrist firm; the chiquita is a shot driven from the shoulder and elbow, not the wrist.
7. Move up: As soon as the shot is finished, step forward a few paces together with your partner. The reward of the chiquita is getting closer to the net on the next ball.

Speed, height and target

The ideal chiquita clears the net by 20–40 cm and lands at the opponent’s toes, i.e. in the middle of the zone between the service line and the net. Instead of estimating speed, set yourself a simple check: if the opponent meets the ball above waist height, your chiquita is either too high or not slow enough.

Variable	Ideal chiquita	Common mistake
Ball speed	Slow-medium, controlled	Too hard, the opponent blocks it back
Height over the net	20–40 cm	Close to 1 metre, an easy volley for the opponent
Goal	Feet, between the two players	Right in front of the opponent’s forehand volley
Spin	Light slice	Flat shot, high bounce
Afterwards	Both players move forward together	Waiting at the back glass

Where should you send the chiquita?

Target selection is as important as the quality of the shot. There are three main targets:

• Intermediate: A chiquita sent between the two opponents creates hesitation over “who takes it”. The saying “the middle ball wins” in padel is not said for nothing.
• The feet of the backhand volley: Most amateur players’ low backhand volley is weaker than their forehand. A right-handed opponent’s backhand side is a good target.
• Parallel, close to the side glass: Riskier, but when done properly it pulls the opponent out of the court and opens a gap in the middle.

Observing in the first few games which of the opposing pair’s players has weaker low volleys gives you a big advantage. Finding the opponent’s weak point article, where we explain ways to make this observation systematic.

Chiquita and lob: the two legs of defence

Used on its own, the chiquita becomes predictable. When the opponent knows a slow ball will come to their feet, they step forward and start crushing the ball with a half-volley. This is where the lob comes into play. The opponent who has stepped forward is forced to turn back against a deep lob.

Good defending pairs use these two shots like chess moves: first one or two chiquitas to pin the opponent to the net, then a deep lob over their head. When the opponent turns back, the net is yours. Learning this rhythm is one of the cornerstones of moving from intermediate to advanced level.

Coordination with your partner

When you play a chiquita, your partner needs to know it too. Because right after the shot both players should move forward together. If one moves up and the other stays back, a big diagonal gap opens in the middle of the court. A simple verbal signal (“up”, “vamos”) or a rule agreed before the match solves this problem. For more on communication between partners, partnering up in padel article.

The most common chiquita mistakes

These are the most common mistakes we see in the players we coach:

1. Hitting with the wrist: When the wrist breaks, the face angle changes with every shot; consistency is lost.
2. Not bending the knees: Staying upright and reaching for the ball makes the ball rise.
3. Watching after the shot: Staring at the ball and staying back wastes the whole advantage of the chiquita.
4. A chiquita on every ball: One-dimensional play lets the opponent read you easily.
5. Playing too short: When the ball hits the net, the “safe” shot produces errors. Clear the net comfortably and set the target by depth, not height.

Chiquita by level: from beginner to advanced

Use of the chiquita varies with the player’s level. In the padel level system, for players in the 2.0–3.0 range, the aim is to get the shot over the net confidently and keep the ball below the opponent’s waist height. At this stage the target zone is kept wide; what matters is that the movement is repeatable.

At level 3.5–4.5, the chiquita is now a conscious tactical tool. The player plans in advance which of the opponent’s feet to play to, whether to go middle or parallel, and mixes the shot with the lob to make the opponent’s reading harder. Being able to produce both a lob and a chiquita from the same preparation, i.e. “disguising” the shot, is the defining skill of this level.

At advanced level (5.0 and above), the chiquita is often played on fast balls coming off the glass, even after the opponent’s smash. Professionals add more slice to the ball and almost eliminate the bounce, dropping the ball right at the opponent’s toes at a distance that leaves no choice but a half-volley. If you want to determine your own level, you can look at padel level system the guide.

How to play against the chiquita?

It is also important to know the other side of the coin. If a chiquita comes to you at the net, first bend your knees and keep the racket low and ready. Instead of lifting the ball and trying to hit hard, send it deep with a soft block volley, close to the opponent’s back glass; that way the opponent has no time to move forward. Low balls hit in a rush often end up in the net.

Another defence is positioning: instead of sticking too close to the net line, standing half a step back lets you meet low balls before they reach your knees. This small adjustment can change the course of a match, especially against opponents who use the chiquita well.

How do you practise the chiquita at Beytepe?

The chiquita develops best with targeted repetition. While ball behaviour changes from day to day on outdoor courts in Ankara’s dry, cold winters, Beytepe’s indoor, climate-controlled courts give the same bounce and the same ball speed at every training session. This consistency is a big advantage for embedding a delicate shot into muscle memory.

Three recommended drills

• Target box: On the opponent’s side, mark out a target area two racket-lengths wide between the net and the service line (cones or a ball box). Count how many of 20 balls fed by your coach or partner you land in the box. Goal: more than 10.
• Chiquita + move up: After each chiquita, move up in front of the service line together with your partner and meet the incoming volley. This way the shot and the change of position become automatic together.
• Decision game: In a mini game with the opponents at the net, try to win points using only lobs and chiquitas. Afterwards, talk with your partner about which shot you chose for which ball.

In our padel lessons practising the chiquita in the semi-private (1:2) format in particular is very productive: two players alternate hitting and meeting at the net while the coach corrects angle and height. If you like, we can examine your knee angle and racket face at the moment of the shot frame by frame with video analysis.

After training

Because chiquita practice requires constant lowering, it creates fatigue in the quadriceps and lower back. After the session, a short sauna and cold plunge cycle in the complex In the O’Spa Beytepe recovery area helps ease the next day’s muscle soreness.

Building the chiquita into your game

The chiquita is the symbol of “smart play” in padel. The moments when hard shots shine are dazzling, but matches are often won by patient shots that unsettle the opponent and force them to hit from below. First learn to recognise the right moment, then to produce a low, slow ball, and finally to move forward with your partner after the shot. Once these three steps are in place, you will see how much easier the move from defence to attack becomes.

If you want to try the chiquita with a coach, you can arrange a reach us on our WhatsApp line trial lesson; we usually reply within a few minutes.

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