The Padel Vibora: The Bandeja's Aggressive Cousin
Bandeja's aggressive cousin
Quick take. The vibora is an overhead with sidespin for when the lob is easy and you are still close to the net. Hit the side of the ball, not underneath it, with a fast, whipping swing across your body, and aim low into the side glass. Learn the bandeja first.
Watch a Premier Padel match and you'll see the vibora ("viper" in Spanish) all the time: a fast, curling overhead that skids off the side glass and stays low. For club players in Bangkok it is the next step after a reliable bandeja.
Bandeja or vibora?
Both answer the same situation: an opponent's lob when you are near the net and don't want to give it up. The difference, as The Padel School puts it, is the contact: with the bandeja you hit the ball from underneath; with the vibora you hit it on the outside. That changes the spin from slice to sidespin, and the shot from defensive to attacking.
How to hit it
- Turn early. Side-on to the net, racket up and back, as for any overhead.
- Let the ball come a little lower. Contact is usually around head height or a little lower, slightly to the side of your body.
- Strike the side of the ball. Brush round the outside of it with a fast, whipping action. Your wrist and forearm do more work than on the bandeja.
- Swing across, finish low. The racket travels across your body and finishes down by the opposite hip.
- Aim low into the side glass. A good vibora hits the side glass near the corner and skids low, giving the other pair nothing to attack.
When not to
- The lob is deep. If you're pushed back near your own service line, play a bandeja or let it bounce.
- You're off balance. The vibora needs a stable base; a rushed one flies long.
- Your arm is sore. The wrist action loads the forearm and elbow more than a bandeja. See our guide to common injuries.
Practise it
Ask a partner to feed easy lobs while you stand a couple of metres from the net. Hit five bandejas, then five viboras, aiming for the side glass. In your warm-up, build up from bandeja to vibora to smash. A coach can help with the wrist action: see our coaching page.
Show off your vibora at the next game: join the Bangkok Padel Community on Facebook.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What is a vibora in padel?
An attacking overhead hit from near the net with sidespin. You strike the side of the ball rather than underneath it, so it skids low and fast off the side glass.
What is the difference between a vibora and a bandeja?
Both deal with a lob near the net. The bandeja is controlled, struck from underneath with slice, to keep the net. The vibora is more aggressive, struck on the side of the ball with sidespin, to put the other pair under pressure.
When should I not hit a vibora?
When the lob is deep or you are off balance. Then a safe bandeja, or letting the ball bounce, is the better choice.
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