PICKLEBALL INSTRUCTION
Perspective
A TENNIS PLAYER ’ S
on PICKLEBALL STRATEGIES
Pickleball has been experiencing tremendous growth over the past several years . Much of it has come from the crossover of lifelong tennis players . There are many similarities between the sports . Here are a few strategy tips unique to pickleball that will help every tennis player when transitioning to the sport .
DOUBLES
• Get to the net ! In tennis , it is OK to rally from the baseline but in pickleball , 90 % of points are won at the net .
• Learn how to dink . This is not a tennis shot but it is a fundamental shot for quality pickleball . Pickleball has a lot more finesse to it and you need to learn how to dink and keep the ball low when you are at the non-volley line so that your team doesn ’ t get attacked .
• Learn how to hit a drop shot . This is another fundamental shot in pickleball and allows you and your partner to work your way from the baseline to the net .
• There are no aces in pickleball . The court is smaller so there is no space to hit an ace and it really is a cardinal sin to miss your serve in pickleball since it is underhand . The main objective for a pickleball serve is to just get the ball deep .
• When your opponents are back , keep them back . In tennis , it is OK to drop shot your opponent when he is on the baseline and it is tempting to also do this in pickleball . However , in pickleball , you lose a huge advantage by inviting your opponents to the net . This goes back to the first tip that in pickleball , you win the majority of your points at the net so you definitely do not want to bring your opponents there .
• Do not lob from the baseline if your opponents are at the net . This is also a big tennis shot , but in pickleball this is bad because 1 ) you put your team on the defense ; 2 ) if you are on the baseline , you want to get your team to the net and lobbing does not allow this to happen .
• A hard angle is not always a good shot . In tennis , angling a shot is usually great . However , in pickleball , you need to be careful with how sharp the angle is because your
opponent is allowed to hit the ball around the post .
SINGLES Singles in tennis and pickleball have a lot more similarities when compared to doubles . However , points are usually much shorter in pickleball and there is a lot less baseline rallying . Here are a few tips for better singles .
• Get ready to grind . Singles in pickleball requires a lot more quick sprinting and trying to put the ball away as quickly as possible .
• Practice your passing shots . If your opponent is at the net , you can either pass him down the line or cross-court .
• It is easier to win points at the net . In tennis you can win a lot of points by having a baseline game , but in pickleball you will put more pressure on your opponent and do a lot less running by getting to the net .
• Practice your put-away volleys and overheads . This will be critical for winning points in singles pickleball . •
Christine McGrath resides in Los Angeles , CA . She was the highest female prize money winner for pickleball in 2015 . Christine is a 2016 US Open Pro Champion , 5x Tournament of Champions medalist , and 8x Nationals medalist . She also enjoys the outdoors , dirt biking , snowboarding , and spending time with family .
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