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The Zurdo
Monthly
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Issue 05
October 2026
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← For the 10% who dominate the game.
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This month
The Zurdo behind
the camera
This month’s player feature is Aleix Gonzalez, the Zurdo who plays and films for Tribe Zurdo. He tells us why being left-handed is a real advantage on court.
Plus the tactical tip, the latest from ZE, and every Zurdo result from September.
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Full interview on YouTube
A Zurdo who plays
and films for the Tribe.
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Zurdo · Plays and films for Tribe Zurdo
Aleix
Gonzalez
Aleix came to padel late. He played football as a kid, switched to basketball at 12 or 13 and spent seven years in it, playing at a high level as a youth. At 23 he picked up a padel racket and hasn’t put it down since.
Today he plays and films for Tribe Zurdo, turning lefty patterns into videos for the community. We asked him about growing up left-handed, the advantage on court, and why a community of Zurdos helps.
Q1
Are you proud to be left-handed?
Yes, definitely. I’m proud to be left-handed because, although I didn’t really give it much importance before, when I started playing padel, I realized that we have a big advantage compared to other players, especially because of our positioning and the way we understand the court.
Q2
What has it been like growing up left-handed, and how has it affected your sport?
Growing up left-handed has been a bit of a challenge for me, especially because we live in a world that is designed for right-handed people. Just to give you an example, when you go to buy scissors, they are usually designed for right-handed people rather than left-handed people.
When it comes to sports, it can also be a challenge because you’re usually used to having right-handed coaches who think about the game in a different way from what we left-handed players are used to. Luckily, when I started playing padel, the coach at my club was left-handed as well. So we had a very similar way of seeing the game, which made the learning process much easier and more enjoyable for me.
Q3
What do you think is the biggest advantage of being left-handed in sport?
I think the biggest advantage of being a left-handed player is that we are the minority. Therefore, when we face an opponent, they tend to defend against us as if we were right-handed players, and that can give us a big advantage.
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“They tend to defend against us as if we were right-handed players, and that can give us a big advantage.”
Aleix Gonzalez
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Q4
Do left-handed players have a real advantage, or is it overrated?
I believe that, as left-handed players, we have a real advantage, mainly because of two factors.
The first one is the mental factor. We have a different way of seeing and interpreting the court compared to right-handed players.
And the second one is the physical factor. We have our forehand in the middle of the court, and that gives us a big advantage compared to pairs made up of two right-handed players.
Q5
Who are your favourite left-handed athletes?
My favorite left-handed player… I think it’s really difficult to choose just one, because some of the greatest players in the history of almost every sport are left-handed.
We can take Messi as an example in football. He’s left-handed and has an incredible understanding of the game. We can also talk about Rafa Nadal, who needs no introduction.
And, of course, in padel today we have Arturo Coello on the men’s side, as well as Andrea Ustero and Paula Josemaría on the women’s side. Paula has been world number one for four years.
So it would be very difficult to choose just one. But if I have to choose one, and since I really like padel, I would choose Arturo Coello.
Q6
What do you like most about Tribe Zurdo?
What I like most about Tribe Zurdo is that everyone in this community shares the same characteristic: we are all left-handed.
I also really like the fact that we don’t just focus on posting videos of ourselves playing. We also try to create explanations and share our experiences and things we’ve learned, so that we can help each other as a community.
Because, at the end of the day, in a world full of right-handed people, teaching a left-handed player can be quite difficult. And if you find yourself in the same situation, it becomes much easier to help others.
Q7
What has surprised you most since you started playing padel?
What surprised me the most when I started playing padel was something a guy told me when I first walked through the doors of the club: that padel is a very rewarding sport.
Especially because from the very first day you start playing, you can already see yourself improving. And I think that’s what makes you get so hooked on this sport.
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02 — Tactical Tip of the Month
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Advantage Zurdo · Chapter 5.5
Poaching as a
left hander
Left handers have a natural poaching advantage:
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Your forehand moves toward the middle |
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Your angle is sharper |
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Your reach is longer on the middle ball |
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Opponent 1 sees your forehand, not your backhand |
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When to poach
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When Opponent 1 hits cross court under pressure |
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When Opponent 2 plays a soft middle ball |
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When your partner hits a strong cross court drive |
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When Opponent 1 opens their stance |
Your poaching targets
Your poaching rules
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Go early |
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Go decisively |
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Go with forehand |
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Go with angle |
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This is one of your biggest weapons. Your forehand poach is a natural threat.
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Featured eBook, product of the month, the Zurdo Register, Tribe Zurdo, and what's completing on the Premier Padel calendar.
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Featured eBook
Advantage Zurdo — now €19
Left-handed padel tactics & strategy. €10 off for a limited time — now just €19. Read more →
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Basic · free in Tribe Zurdo
53 pages, 20 diagrams. Chapters 1–6 condensed, chapter 2 in full. No drills. Beginner–Intermediate.
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Premium · €19
112 pages, 38 diagrams. All 11 chapters in full, plus Patterns of Play, Serve & Return, Advanced Tactics, Match Strategy and the Zurdo Training Program. Drill sets in every chapter, 43-drill library and glossary. Intermediate–Competitive.
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Product of the month
For the 10% jersey
Ready for the Game! WL For the 10% mark. Made with 100% breathable polyester mesh, this unisex sports jersey provides optimal ventilation and comfort during intense workouts or leisure activities. The jersey’s relaxed fit and extended length offer extra coverage, while the binding on the collar ensures long-lasting durability and a polished look.
€24 · Black or White · S–2XL
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Community
The Zurdo Register
One new Zurdo entered the register this month. Twenty now sit inside the world’s top 50, six inside the top 20.
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42
Zurdos
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9
Countries
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72
PP titles
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16 Zurdas · 26 men · updated 28 September 2026
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New in Tribe Zurdo
Chapter 1 complete
Chapter 1 is complete. All 4 videos are now available free to Tribe Zurdo members.
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Out with the Tribe
British Padel Awards · Birmingham
This week ZE attended the British Padel Awards network event in Birmingham, UK. We brought the printed Advantage Zurdo Premium Edition, Tribe Zurdo balls, ZE wristbands and the For the 10% range.
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On the calendar
Premier Padel — completing in October
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P2 · Netherlands
Rotterdam P2
27 Sep–4 Oct · Rotterdam
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P2 · Germany
Germany P2
5–11 Oct · Düsseldorf
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P1 · Italy
Milano P1
12–18 Oct · Milan
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Major · Kuwait
Kuwait Major
26–31 Oct · Kuwait City
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Full Zurdo results land in Issue Six.
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04 — Zurdo Tournament Results
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Who made the draw, who went deep, and what their left hand had to do with it. Two stops completed: Madrid P1 and the Paris Major.
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Comunidad de Madrid P1 · ESP · 29 Aug–6 Sep 2026
Madrid Zurdo Haul
9 Zurdas and 17 Zurdos in the draws. Paula Josemaría reached the final and Andrea Ustero the semis. Arturo Coello, Jose Jiménez Casas and Flavio Abbate made the men’s quarter-finals. 2,961 points banked.
Women
Men
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Paris Major · FRA · 6–13 Sep 2026
Paris Zurdo Haul
Two Zurdo titles: Andrea Ustero and Arturo Coello won Paris. Josemaría, Guinart and Orsi made the women’s quarter-finals, Sanz the men’s. 9 Zurdas and 18 Zurdos in the draws, 7,520 points banked.
Women
Men
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05 — Premier Padel Zurdo Rankings
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Tracking the 10% at the top of the game. The Season 26 Zurdo Haul — 17 of 24 Premier Padel stops played, and where the Race for the title stands.
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Women
Men
Stop-by-stop runs and the full top-10 Race in the monthly Race to Finals carousel.
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Know another Zurdo?
Forward this drop to the left-hander in your club who should be reading it.
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The Zurdo Monthly |
← For the 10% who dominate the game.
You're getting this because you joined the 10% at zurdoelite.com.
Zurdo Elite
© 2026 Zurdo Elite. All rights reserved.
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