If you like to hit with power and if your opponents cannot recognize when a ball is going out and they hit every ball that they can get their paddles on, then it is to your advantage to have the heavy wind at your back.
When your opponents stop hitting you the ball intentionally every time you play, it means your partners are very weak or you have become a very good player. Feel good about it.
There is a time to try and hit a “Pure Winner”, a time to hit a “¾ Winner”, and time to just keep the ball alive by blocking it back to your opponent.
1. Pure Winner – (as hard as you can hit the ball).
a. When your partner is weaker than both of your opponents and you get a high ball. You must take advantage of your good opportunities.
b. When you are the favorite team.
c. When you have a decent lead in the game.
d. When playing good competition; you make hay when the sun shines because you don’t get many good opportunities to go for it.
2. ¾ Winner – (3/4 pace shot).
a. When you are in control of point at the net and both opponents are at baseline and are very steady players.
b. When a ball hit to you is not a high percentage shot.
c. When you feel your team is steadier and better than your opponents.
d. When your position on the court is not very good.
3. Just keep the ball alive by blocking the shot to opponent’s feet.
a. When an exceptionally fast ball is hit to you be defensive by blocking it back rather than swing at it.
Be Careful: A less difficult shot to hit may sometimes cause a player to miss a shot because it looked so easy that he thought it was impossible to miss. A player tends to over hit and not concentrate as much as when hitting a difficult shot and misses it.
There is no right or wrong way to play Pickleball. You should do things that work for you. Some advanced players have their unconventional ways of playing Pickleball and because they have exceptional athletic ability, they are successful more than 50% of the time. Beginners with average ability would be more successful if they used conventional tennis strokes and strategy before they pick up bad habits and are not able to change.
A player should not be one dimensional, they should try to develop a complete game of hitting with placement as well as power. Develop a good lob and drop volley as well a good soft game. A player will not be predictable if he is able to have a variety in his Pickleball game.
If your partner is a much weaker player than you are and your opponents are hitting as many balls as possible to him, then a soft dink into the no volley zone is not to your advantage because it gives your opponent more time to hit another ball to your partner.
After hitting the ball toward your opponent follow the same line that the ball is traveling when advancing toward the no volley line. This will give you a good angle and position for your opponents return shot.
For a complete list of national rules and regulations log onto USAPA.org. You can also search Google for any and all Pickleball national rules and regulations.
Technique for hitting an overhead stroke
1. Grip – Continental Grip (same as all other strokes).
2. Turn your body so that your shoulders and body are parallel to the flight of the lobed ball.
3. Keep your feet parallel and move them forward and back until the ball in the air is a little more in front of your body and as high in the air as the center of your paddle can reach.
4. Point your left hand at the ball while readying your paddle. About ear height and making sure paddle face is completely flat at the point of contact for extra power.
5. Keep head and chin up and watch the spot that the ball contacts the paddle long after your follow through.
6. A split second before contacting the ball, pronate your wrist to disguise your shot and the paddle will contact the ball flat and this will get more power on the overhead.
7. After setting the paddle, the overhead is all wrist. Just step towards your target, point your left shoulder towards the target and snap your wrist with same motion as you would snap a whip. Pretend you are throwing the paddle at the ball.
8. If you don’t have time to move your feet at least turn your shoulders and waist for more power and placement.
9. If you have to jump in the air to hit the overhead use the scissors kick method. If you live in The Villages in Florida, find “Mo” and ask him. It is too hard to explain, it must be demonstrated and you must be able to leave the ground with both feet.
Overhead Tip: When the wind is at your back, your timing can be thrown off and the ball contact is too far out in front of your body causing the ball to be short and into the net the way to help this problem is to aim your overheads just inside the baseline.
If your team should hit the ball close to the opponents right sideline and the ball will be a volley or ground stroke then you and your partner should divide the court into 3 equal thirds when you are waiting at the NVZ line for the return. The player on the right side of the court protects his sideline and the right 1/3 of the court. The other player protects the middle third of the court and you leave the far left third of the court open. A crosscourt shot is a low percentage, it’s a sharp angle and the ball must have a lot of top spin. Most players cannot make this shot consistently so protect down the line and you will win much more points than you lose.
How to hit a drop volley
1. Use Continental Grip with the bottom two fingers tight and the top three fingers a light grip.
2. Paddle motion is from high to low (half moon,) paddle face finishes parallel to the ground.
3. Elbow and knee are bent.
4. Short backswing.
5. Punch the ball (which is full extension at elbow joint).
6. Meet the ball early and out in front of the body.
7. Do not drop the paddle head below your wrist. If racquet head is locked firm above your wrist then skin wrinkles can be seen on your wrist.
8. Slide your paddle under the ball (like turning a key in a door) to put an underspin on the ball. The ball will bounce low when it drops over the net.
9. Keep your head down and eyes glued to the spot that you made contact with the ball for as long as possible.
10. Paddle head should follow through in the direction you want the ball to go.
11. Tip – Make a sound to yourself at exactly the time the ball make contact with your paddle. Not too soon or too late. This will make sure you are watching the ball hit the paddle.
Hitting Fast Balls
Only hit the ball as fast as it takes to win the point. Start the match hitting at an average speed and keep adding a little pace until you are winning more points then you are losing. Every opponent is different. The faster you hit the ball the less precise your placement. If you can win more than 50% of your points blasting every ball, then go for it!
Be prepared for a faster bounce of the ball if the ball seems like it might hit the painted lines on the court.
Mental Errors
1. Improper shot selection
2. Hitting balls going out of bounds
3. Over hitting
4. Not enough patience
5. Not keeping track of wind
6. Not having a mental book on your opponents assets and deficits
7. Not communicating properly with your partner
Mental errors are much easier to cure than technical errors when hitting the ball.
Helpful hints and techniques
1. When you are learning to play pickleball, never avoid hitting your backhand ground strokes or volleys. If you avoid hitting your backhand you will never master the stroke.
2. When playing during a windy day keep track of the wind speed and direction constantly because it does change at times. If you play the wind properly then it will build confidence in yourself, in that, the wind is bothering your opponent more than yourself.
3. When you are feeling a little tight during a match, don't hit tentatively or too slow. Hit at your normal steady pace, but give yourself more leeway to hit your target until your confidence returns.
4. Make a mental book on your own attributes and deficits. Only hit shots that you feel are a high percentage for your own ability. Know what shots you can make more than 50% of the time. Do what you do well and practice the things that you don't do well then use them when you can make them 50% of the time.
5. When at the net, turn toward your opponent before he hits the ball. When the ball travels straight toward your paddle it is easier to hit the ball.
6. Bounce up onto the balls of your feet, in the ready position, at the point of contact of the ball on your opponents paddle. A moving body reacts quicker than a stationary body.
7. If both backhands of your opponents are at the middle of the court, hit down the middle of the court.
8. If your shot makes your opponent take two steps or more your chance for winning the point increases immensely.
9. Don't back up to play a dink off the bounce, when you can hit the ball in the air. Always try and hit the ball with your weight going towards the net.
10. Make contact with the ball at the highest possible point in the air when volleying and waist high on the bounce for your ground stroke. It will be a higher percentage shot and open up more angles with less chance of putting balls into the net.
Know your opponents
1. Do they try and hit every ball hit to them, even balls that would have gone out? If so, hit much faster at them then you normally would. You have nothing to lose.
2. Does your opponent stay at the baseline and not move forward to the net?
3. Does your opponent hit all there volleys on the same side of their paddle. If so, they are vulnerable if you hit low to the backhand.
4. Does your opponent handle fast balls well. If so, hit soft balls to them and visa versa.
5. Does your opponent have trouble returning under spin balls?
6. Does your opponent like to poach.
7. If you do not know your opponent then keep the ball as low as possible and on the backhand side until you have a chance to make a book on him.
8. Which one of your opponents is the weaker player. A team is only as strong as its weakest player and the weakest player is only as strong as his weakest shot.
9. How fast are your opponents, then you will know whether to drop or lob.
Topspin Forehand
Right Handed Players:
1. Ready your paddle back into position to stroke the ball with your left hand. The paddle grip should be a continental grip with the butt end of the handle pointing towards the on coming ball and the paddle is level.
2. Step toward the ball with your left foot and make contact with the ball opposite the spot that your planted your foot. Point your left shoulder at your target.
3. Keep your left hand out in front of your body with your palm facing the ground at the same hight as your paddle and this will help keep you balanced.
4. Watch the ball make contact on you paddle and make sound to yourself at the exact moment the ball touches your paddle. This will help you watch the ball more consistently.
5. Keep a firm wrist and pretend you are hitting four balls lined up in a row during your follow through. Follow through in the direction of your target.
6. When hitting a low forehand shot bend your knees with your right knee as close to the ground as possible that stay down all the way through the shot.
7. Quickly return to your ready position.
Topspin Backhand with continental grip
For right handed players:
1. Run to a spot where the ball will be waist high or as close to waist high as possible in your ready position.
2. Set your feet in a closed stance position (side by side) pointing your right shoulder and looking over your right shoulder toward your target then step with your front foot toward your target.
3. Bend your knees on low balls and keep your head and body down all through the shot and follow thru.
4. Point the butt end of your handle like a gun at the ball.
5. Paddle face should be perpendicular to ground.
6. Paddle head should start below the flight of the ball (low to high).
7. Contact point should be out in front of the spot you plant your front foot.
8. Keep a firm wrist at contact and you will be more consistent. (do not roll your wrist at contact unless you are an advanced player)
9. Watch the ball hit your paddle.(making a sound to yourself at exactly the point of contact of ball on your paddle will help)
10. Make a long follow through in the direction of your target. Pretend you are hitting four balls in a row will help.
11. Quickly after your bull follow thru get back to your ready position for the next shot.
Ground Stroke Stances
Stroke: A ball that is hit after it has bounced on the court.
Backhand-Ground Stroke: A backhand ground stroke can be hit from an open or a closed stance.
The Closed-stance is used most often. The player runs to a spot where the ball will be as close to waist high as possible and sets both his feet shoulder width apart and parallel to the net. He then steps toward the ball with his front foot and hits the ball. The Open-stance is used when you have a very fast ball hit to you and very little time to move your feet. You have only enough time to set your feet side by side at about a 45 degree angle to the net and turn your upper body at the waist so that your front shoulder is pointing at your target area.
Right handed player hitting a forehand would point his left shoulder toward his target and when hitting his backhand would point his right shoulder toward his target and follow through towards target.
Pickleball Guide Review
1: Be in ready position early!, stopped with feet parallel to each other at the point of contact of ball on your opponents paddle.