to lunge into the kitchen. When you’ re hitting against the wind, you need to put some muscle into your serve. That means legs. Drive the ball with your whole body and keep the serves and returns deep. Your return is all about footwork. Set up quickly so that you can drive the ball down the middle. Play safe and smart. Keep your paddle up and in front. You can’ t afford to waste precious time. Those volleys are coming fast so meet them early if possible. Lobbing with and against the wind is tricky, but if you can throw up a deep lob against the wind it may do crazy things and get you out of trouble.
A spiraling wind is the third type. It’ s usually found in stadiums and center courts. It’ s gusting and unpredictable. This is when you play percentage pickleball. Know the shots you can rely on. Focus on hitting clean balls, not fancy spins. Hit to the center of the court when possible. Watch the ball very carefully— that is true for any windy condition. Attempt to see the ball come off of your opponent’ s paddle. Footwork is crucial. As my mixed partner said,“ Playing outside has made me a better player. I used to hate it, but I have learned to use the wind.” Attitude is everything. You may have to leave your variety of indoor shots at the gate, but you will acquire new skills and have an additional partner( Mr. Wind) on the court if you play it right.
The fourth type of wind is the gusting wind that changes direction. According to Diane Keller of upstate New York, this is the type of wind in her area. She said,“ You have to be constantly alert since a tailwind becomes a head- or crosswind very quickly, or the wind dies out entirely for a while.” She believes that partners need to alert each other to the changing conditions. Again, playing percentage pickleball is important under these changing conditions. You can serve and return a little higher over the net in case the ball dips. You can hit more shots down the center and let the wind work its magic. You can watch the ball closely and hit crisp volleys rather than touch shots.
What about bright sun, especially on courts that are not laid out properly? Latitude matters. Here in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the sun is at a killer angle in April and October. If you want to take advantage of the sun, learn to lob. Lob the player who has to look into the sun. You, of course, should have on a visor and sunglasses. It helps some players to put their hand up to block the sun. Or, you can let the ball drop and play a groundstroke. Shadows can be unnerving, especially those around 4 and 5 p. m. The key here is to watch the ball very closely so that you’ re not mishitting the shadow. Since you can’ t control the time you’ re scheduled in a tournament, you need to develop the shots that take advantage of the light conditions. If you have to play under lights, it’ s critical to watch the ball early and watch it all the way to your paddle. You can practice this so that you go into hawk or owl mode when you play under lights. It’ s a matter of training, habit, and attitude. And, for some, maybe cataract surgery.
Sometimes there are misty conditions, making the court slick. Again, footwork is critical. Stay balanced. Move early to the ball. Set up your shot. Stay low as you move. It may be time to call the match, but if you must play, now is the time to glide rather than stand up straight.
The temperature plays an important role in the liveliness of the ball. The hard Dura 40s become even more like a rock in cold temperatures and they have a greater tendency to break. The softer Penn and Onix balls are less affected by the cold, but they too become less forgiving. When the temperature gets into the 80s and 90s the balls become much livelier, bounce higher, and float more. You definitely have to allow for temperature changes in the way you follow through on your shots. If you don’ t exaggerate your follow-through when you’ re using cold, hard balls, you will hit short or into the net. If you don’ t keep the ball as long as you can on the paddle when the balls are warm and lively, they will drift up and out.
Back to basics when conditions are extreme. Of course, it’ s good to practice under different conditions in advance so you’ re familiar with the necessary adjustments. That means trips to Palm Springs and Fairbanks! Fortunately, both places have good pickleball.
For what it is worth, I have played tennis on nearly every conceivable surface: grass, sand, cement, en tout cas, clay, cow dung, and leveled termite mounds. I have played in 75 mph winds, above 16,000 feet, under lights of all kinds, in freezing rain, in hot deserts, and during earthquakes. I have watched spectacular tennis under incredible conditions.
It is not about the conditions, it is about the players. It is about you. It is about character and attitude. As Herodotus said,“ Character is destiny.” It is about the willingness to overcome less-than-ideal conditions and downright awful ones. It is about practice and knowledge. It is what pickleball is all about. •
Alice Tym was ranked 13th in the world for tennis in the‘ 60s. She’ s been named USPTA Coach of the Year and is a USPTA Master Professional. As a 4.5 pickleball player, she won gold in Huntsman, NSGA Nationals, US Open, and USA Pickleball events around the country. Alice is an IPTPA member, SSIPA founding board member, Bainbridge Cup Originator and gold medalist in Spain, Italy, and Germany.
SPRING 2025 | MAGAZINE 61