[ Ben Johns on the Backhand Roll ]
THE BACKHAND
ROLL
Here’s an example of what I mean by
reaching in and volleying the dink:
You can see I’ve just hit a dink while
reaching into the kitchen and staying low.
Eventually, this will set up the ball that
I’m looking for and I’ll already be in the
correct position for it.
The backhand roll
(some call it the flick)
is my favorite shot in
pickleball. Much of my
game plan at the kitchen line is
focused on hitting the roll at just
the right time so I can either win
the point right then or set up the
put-away shot. So, what is this shot
exactly?
The backhand roll is a quick,
surprising power shot with topspin.
The roll makes it difficult for your
opponent to hit an offensive shot
and, if he/she lets it go, the topspin
brings it down into the court. The
topspin also allows you to attack the
ball from below the net.
I know many instructors tell you
to never attack the ball unless it’s
above the level of the net. Generally
I agree with that, but with a
sufficient level of skill, you can use
the roll to catch your opponents offguard
because you can attack from
below the level of the net effectively.
1. THE SETUP
When I use the backhand roll,
all four players are at the kitchen
line in a dinking rally. Although
the backhand roll is useful on both
sides, I primarily use it on the ad
side, with my backhand toward the
edge of the court and my forehand
in the middle. The setup is crucial
to an effective roll—if you don’t have
the setup, nothing else is going to
work out well for you.
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