Víbora (Spanish for “viper”) is an attacking padel overhead. It is hit with heavy sidespin and backspin so the ball stays low and skids off the side glass, making it very hard to return. Think of it as a more aggressive bandeja.
When to use a víbora
Use it when a lob is a little short or slow and you want to put pressure on your opponents without giving up the net. It is a favourite of advanced players because it wins points through spin rather than power.
How to hit a víbora
- Turn side-on early, continental grip.
- Let the ball drop slightly lower and further to your side than for a bandeja.
- Swing from high to low and across the ball, brushing the side of it for sidespin and slice.
- Aim for the side wall near the back corner so the ball dies low after the bounce.
Common mistakes
- Trying to hit it flat and hard: without spin it bounces up off the glass.
- Using it on every lob: deep, high lobs are usually better answered with a bandeja.
Related: bandeja · remate · all padel terms