i
INSTRUCTION by KYLE MCMAKIN
MASTERING HIGH-LEVEL PATTERNS
Advanced Pickleball Strategy for 5.0 + Players
At the 5.0 + and professional levels, pickleball is no longer just about mechanics and athleticism— it becomes a thinking person’ s game. Patterns, tempo shifts, anticipation, deception, and shot discipline all converge to create a match that resembles chess more than it does a backyard paddle sport.
While consistency and fundamentals remain crucial, what separates the elite is their ability to create, recognize, and manipulate patterns of play— and to do so dynamically, adjusting and layering strategies throughout a match. This article dives into the highlevel strategic frameworks that top players use to control points, create opportunities, and mentally dominate their opponents.
1. STRATEGIC PATTERNING: PLAYING THREE SHOTS AHEAD
High-level players don’ t just react— they plan. Every shot is part of a broader sequence. Think of the way a boxer sets up a knockout punch with jabs. A dink to the inside foot may be less about winning the rally and more about setting up a pop-up two shots later. The ability to think several shots ahead is what transforms good play into great play.
At this level, you’ re working to disrupt your opponents’ comfort zone by consistently probing their weaknesses— be it their movement, shot preference, or mental tendencies. Do they favor their forehand in transition? Then your goal becomes feeding them uncomfortable balls that pull them to their backhand hip while they’ re moving. Set patterns up, then break them. That’ s where the magic happens.
2. THE SHAPE OF THE POINT: GEOMETRICAL AWARENESS
Elite players manipulate the shape of the court like a canvas. They control width and depth with precision to create space, then collapse on that space with aggressive attacks. One popular high-level pattern involves pulling the opponent wide to the sideline on a dink, then attacking fast up the middle to exploit the gap created by over-rotation.
Another example is using a crosscourt dink exchange to lull opponents into rhythm, then suddenly breaking the pattern with a sharp angle or a disguised lob. The best players don’ t just“ play the ball”— they reshape the rally.
PRO TIP: Work on understanding not just where you hit the ball, but how your opponents’ position and balance change based on it. That feedback loop allows you to control the rally over time.
3. TRANSITION MASTERY: THE FOURTH SHOT PATTERN
At the pro level, one of the most lethal but underrecognized patterns is how players use the fourth shot to control the tempo of the game. After the third shot( drop or drive), the fourth shot— usually a block volley, roll volley, or drop— is an opportunity to either extend the rally or apply pressure immediately.
Top players are acutely aware of what type of fourth shot to use based on the ball they receive and where their opponents are. For example, if the third shot drop lands high and soft, the fourth shot becomes a surgical speed-up to the paddle-side hip or open court. If the third shot is low and forcing, the fourth may be a reset back into the kitchen to reestablish neutral.
The transition zone— also called No Man’ s Land— is where a lot of points are won and lost. Learning how to move through it with purpose, rather than panic, is key. Practice pattern-based drills like:
• Drop + attack off bounce or volley
• Drop + reset at opponent’ s feet
• Drive + punch / swing to hold or gain advantage
These sequences build comfort and decision-making skills in the toughest part of the court.
4. PSYCHOLOGICAL PATTERNING: TEMPO, TENSION & CONTROL
At the highest levels, pickleball becomes a psychological duel. Players manipulate tempo not just with ball speed, but with rally length, spin variation, and posture. Watch the pros— notice how they mix long dinking rallies with sudden, explosive attacks. That pattern disruption keeps opponents mentally off-balance.
48 TO SUBSCRIBE, CALL 412.914.8294 OR GO TO PICKLEBALLMAGAZINE. COM