Pickleball Strategy

Pickleball Strategy: Singles

Pickleball Singles Strategies:

Ensure serves are strong and deep. It is best to keep your opponents guessing by varying the location of your serve but ensure the serve land in bounds. It is better to get your serve in play than go for a low percentage ‘hero’ serve
Serve within close proximity to center line so you’ll have optimal court placement and be able to get to most returns
Put your returns deep and into the corners (however, when faced with a difficult shot from your opponent, prioritize the high percentage shot versus a hero winner to the deep corner)
In general, stay near the back third of the court. This way you can reach the majority of your opponent’s returns
Hit at your opponent’s ‘off hand’ – most players are weaker on their backhand
When possible, hit a deep pressuring shot into the corners. It is best when your opponent doesn’t have time to properly set up for their shot. In the event they can make the return, it provides you a chance to come to the non-volley line and hit a winning passing shot
Position your body facing your opponent as opposed to being angled sideways. You’ll be in a better position to return a shot that comes to either side of you
Rarely hit a drop shot when your opponent is deep. Smart and competent players will get to it quickly and be in position to hit a passing shot
Don’t become predictable – it is critical to mix up your attack so opponents can’t anticipate you
Maintain positioning awareness by moving left or right as your opponent moves but remain reasonably close to the center line
Use lobs only when necessary and your opponent is at the net or non-volley line. In general lobs should be used sparingly
If your opponent has managed to come to the net and you are still back, you have 3 choices:
- hit a hard passing shot
- hit a dipping shot that hits the ground at your opponents feet
- hit a lob
The best choice depends upon your skill level with each type of shot and your opponent’s skill level. Top players rarely hit lobs because it’s a relatively difficult shot to hit deep enough to keep a strong player from putting it away
Respect your opponent and play with class. It is great to be competitive but remember the wonderful game of pickleball is an excellent way to foster friendship and community, encourage physical activity, and test your skills. Remember it is just a game!
Have fun and be safe! It is important to properly warm up, stretch, hydrate, and not push yourself beyond your limits! Live to play another day!

Pickleball Strategy: Doubles

Pickleball Doubles Strategies:

Do not fault on your serve! Aim for 100% successful service accuracy. It is better to get your serve in play than go for a low percentage ‘hero’ serve
On balls down the middle (aka balls in ‘no man’s land) – they player who has his/her forehand should take this shot. Typically players hit stronger and more accurate shots with their forehand so optimal to let the forehand player take the shot
Prioritize shot placement and control over power
Maintain strong court awareness – have a sense of where the boundaries on the court are, where your partner is, where your opponents are, etc. It is especially important as a ball could be headed ‘out’ but without proper court awareness you or your partner may hit it and risk losing the point
Position your body facing your opponent (and the ball when on the opposite side of the court) as opposed to being angled sideways. You’ll be in a better position to return a shot that comes to either side of you
Implement spin shots… these can be very effective at confusing your opponents
Poaching. Poaching means the stronger player steps in and makes the shot. You will need to coordinate with your teammate on how to implement. Deception to your opponents is necessary (head and shoulder fakes, late movement/switching, etc). This is often done in more competitive games or tournaments.
Consider ‘stacking’ your doubles team with one right handed player and one left handed player. This means on all shots down the middle you’ll both have your forehand. This is not important for casual games
Focus your shots at the weaker player of your two opponents. Note this is not recommended for recreational / fun games where all players are simply trying to get better. However in competitive tournament situations it is advantageous to make the weaker opponent hit more shots
Align on expectations for the match… is it just for fun casual match or is it a competitive match? Feelings can easily be hurt and players can walk away upset if expectations are not established early on. For instance, your reasons for playing pickleball may be to get exercise, enjoy the friendship and community, be outdoors, and work on your game. However your opponents may be viewing the match as a competitive affair where winning is critically important. In turn, the other team may be forcing all shots toward the weaker player, poaching, etc. This misalignment can caused hurt feelings. Having clarity on if the game is a casual or competitive game will help ensure it is a more enjoyable experience for all players!
Have fun, be safe, and enjoy the great game of pickleball!!!