In this video, I play against Clément Geens in 1v1: a test without a net, without a partner to “camouflage” an average placement. The format is simple and effective: a set in which he plays normally, then we add malus to spice things up… and see if I can get him something more than a point on a capricious rebound.
The context is set right from the start: in the video, Geens is presented as the Belgian world No.1 and in the world top 100 zone. And it doesn’t take long to understand what that means on the court: it’s not necessarily a festival of highlights, it’s a machine that leaves you zero love.
Normal mode: padel without gifts
When he serves hard, it’s a classic high-level shot: a heavy serve, a return under pressure, then a volley from behind that’s punishing if the ball comes back short. For my part, I find myself trying things out (aiming for the fence, accelerating a bandeja, forcing a vibora), because here, putting a “wise” ball back is often just putting off the problem for half a second.
What hurts is not a single shot: it’s the placement. On a lot of shots, he’s already where I want to be. One step and he’s closing the angle; I feel like I’m taking fifteen steps to cover the same area. And that detail puts you in the wrong circle: you hit late, you force the ball, you get agitated, you give away points.
The disadvantages: left hand, no smash… and yet it still holds.
Then it’s time for the “game”: no upper-body shots (so no smash or vibora), then the left hand, and even “all forehand” sequences. On paper, this should finally open a window. In reality, it highlights a quality that changes everything: staying consistent even when you’re limited.
Left-handed, you can tell he’s got less power and less spin… but the ball goes in. He defends with the glass, he blocks, he puts it back in the right place, and he waits for me to get carried away. And that’s when I learn a very simple lesson: as long as I don’t build, I don’t score. The useful lob is the one that gives you time, lets you comeback and then alternate to make the other player move.
To remember:
- Priority No. 1: hold the rally. Even 20 strokes if need be, before looking for the winning point.
- The lob must have a goal: to take back the net or move, not just survive.
- Playing “in the middle” and closing the angles is often more profitable than a strong shot.
The full video is here: I play against Clément Geens in 1v1. And for official references on rankings, the most reliable source is FIP.
