Covering the Court as a Team
Covering the court as a team means you track the ball and cover your opponents’ potential shots as a team.
Imagine the serving team has made it up to the kitchen and hit a dink to the opponent on their right. The player on the serving team in front of the ball will move into position to cover their line, their body and some of the court in the middle. This may only account for about one-third of the court. Their partner will move toward them and cover the rest of the middle; this may be a third of the court. So as a team, roughly twothirds of the court is covered.
This will take away the opponents’ potential shots down the line, at the right-side player’ s body and middle of the court. If they attack across the left side of the player on the left, let that ball go since a low ball attacked from that position will be out. If they attack any of these other spots, you are covering the court as a team— and are in good positions to counter effectively. If they dink to the other third of the court, the left-side player’ s backhand, this player will have time to get it and keep the rally going.
If you move with your partner as a team, you will both be in good court position throughout the point. This will remove some of the chaos and bring more control to your side of the court. Notice that the court is not“ your half” and“ my half.” Instead, you might cover a smaller area, like one-third of the court, but as a team you are better positioned to effectively cover the court. This will make it so that you are not caught out of position or lunging for a ball. Instead, you and your partner will be set and ready to react to whatever shot your opponent hits.
Triangle Rule
The ball path of the speed-up and the counter regularly creates a triangle. A speed-up crosscourt generally comes back at your partner straight ahead. If you attack across the body on the inside of the court, the ball comes back toward the middle. With the triangle rule, you will be able to anticipate where the ball is going to go.
Many players speed up a ball and hope to win the point. By understanding the triangle rule, you can start a speed-up and look for the ball to come back in a predictable place. When you hit a speed-up, look to position yourself strategically based on this insight. Attack across your opponent’ s body and anticipate the ball coming back toward the middle. Expect a crosscourt speed-up from your partner to return straight at you. Use this understanding to cover the triangle pattern when you start a speed-up or when countering your opponents’ attacks.
At higher levels the speed-up comes back. You’ ll want to understand the triangle rule so that you are not only ready, but you are anticipating the next shot. This will help you when any player attacks— look to cover in this triangle pattern, and you will be better able to attack and counterattack. It will seem as if your hands got faster, when it is your mind that becomes sharper.
Conclusion
Working as a team on third shot drops and covering the court as a team will get you and your partner into the non-volley zone and in good court position more consistently. This team-centered approach enhances your ability to control the court and anticipate shots like poaching. Understanding the triangle rule instills confidence in your attacks and counterattacks, resulting in better preparation for subsequent shots and increasing your chances of winning points. Mastering these doubles strategies will help you remove some of the chaos and replace it with strategic play that is much more predictable and repeatable. •
Kyle McMakin is a touring pickleball professional, former Division I tennis player( UC Davis) and head pro for LevelUp Pickleball Camps. Kyle is a two-time Triple Crown winner. His DUPR is above 6.0 in both singles and doubles.
THE TWO PLAYERS OPPOSITE THE BALL HAVE SHIFTED INTO POSITION, ARE SET, AND READY TO REACT, EFFECTIVELY COVERING THE COURT TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
SPRING 2025 | MAGAZINE 49