Analysis of the finalist smashes of Qatar Major Premier Padel 2023

Abstract

The aim was to analyze the characteristics of the finalist shots, through the validated OASP (Observation instrument for the analysis of the smash in padel), instrument, according to their effectiveness in men´s professional padel. For this, 880 finalist smashes corresponding to 20 male matches of the Premier Padel Major tournament played in Qatar during the 2023 season were analyzed, carrying out a descriptive and inferential analysis. The results indicate that 73.18% of the final smashes are winners, while only 26.82% of the final smashes are errors. In addition, the winning finalist smashes are made from the zones close to the net (zones 3 (RTC=4.9) and 4 (RTC=5.3)) and to a lesser extent from the middle zones of the court (zones 2 (RTC=2.6). and 5 (RTC=2.6)) and are usually flat (RTC=8.4), parallel (RTC=5.4) and ending X3 (RTC=6.2) or X4 (RTC=5.0). While the finalist smashes that end in error are usually made from the end zones of the court (zones 1 (RTC=8.9) and 6 (RTC=6.7)) and are usually slice (RTC=11.9), crossed (RTC=5.4) and that end in their own court (they stay in the net; RTC=3.9) or opposite court (the ball hits the glass or the fence directly; RTC=3.5). Thus, padel players should know these results to perform effective shots in real competition situations to promote success in the match.