Published on 19 February 2024
Pickleball is about more than just hitting the ball over the net. The game involves strategy - both mental and physical. The aim of Pickleball is simple: keep the ball in play.
Dave Lurie, Founder of HUSTL Pickleball shares some tactics to help you position yourself effectively against your opponent.
The initial serve is crucial for setting the tone of the point. To ensure a winning serve, aim deep in the court – aiming for the last third or baseline, this keeps the opponent on their back foot and increases the likelihood of error on their behalf.
Once you are confident with your backhand serve, add a variety of different flight trajectories. Opting for shots that land in front of your opponent's feet, forces them to hit the ball using a forehand upward shot, often weaker than a backhand, keeping your opponent on their toes!
A good game is a dynamic one. By varying your serves and using a powerful backhand followed by a dink, you can almost always ensure a winning point.
The target is to create potential errors for your opponent by aiming for the baseline and positioning most of your plays closer to the net. By doing so, your opponent is forced to stay in the last third of the court, where their ability to play with precision is crucial. As a result, points are won due to the increased likelihood of error.
After each shot, you should return to the kitchen line as swiftly as possible. This adds pressure to your opponents as you establish dominance at the net. This is known as perceived net pressure (PNP), your presence at the net causes greater opportunities for error by your opponent, increasing your chances of scoring a winning point!
The easiest way to score a point comes down to your placement on the court, not the power used in your serve. Typically, an opponent will return the serve from the baseline and then stay there, so, to exploit their defensive stance consistently hit deep shots to keep them on the defensive. This leads to more errors and opportunities for you to score the winning point.
It is important to avoid giving your opponent too much 'free' space by failing to serve and return effectively. Due to the lack of PNP, your opponent could take advantage of this and as such reduce your chance to score a point.
Remember, focus on precision and placement rather than the power of your shots, playing closer to the net, creates pressure on the opponents, leading to more errors and point wins.
Despite the competitive spirit of the game, don’t forget to enjoy yourself! Keep a positive attitude and remember these simple tactics to help you gain and keep an advantage over your opponents.
Come along to our Social Squad to play Pickleball and put these skills into practice!
© 2024 Glen Eira Leisure
