The Serve
When serving, keep your head down to watch the ball hit the middle of your paddle. Drop it right in front of your paddle so you don't have to meet the ball from a distance.
You do not need to look where your serve is going until after your strike the ball.
Don't move your shoulders and body in an upward motion when serving.
Don't run into the ball or step in the court after striking your serve, only to have to step back for the most difficult shot in pickleball, the third shot.
Don't be putting spin the ball when you serve, unless you've practiced enough to succeed with a spin 9 out of 10 times. Otherwise, you will make unforced errors aplenty!
Return of Serve
The return of serve should be slow, high and deep, preferably landing to the backhand of the opponent receiving the serve.
You should not fire a bullet return of serve, you will get stuck in No Man's Land with your feet exposed and your angles open. You'll often have no choice but to hit the ball upwards.
The Third Shot
One of the most important shots in pickleball is the "third shot," because the serving team is at a disadvantage. The serving team must stay back at the baseline for the third shot and wait for the ball to bounce.
The serving team has three choices for the third shot:
1) Lob, often not successfully.
2) Bang the ball at the two people that are now at the kitchen, ready for the ball. Your chances are not good, considering that 80% of points are won by the team that gets to the kitchen first.
3) The best choice for the third shot is one of the most important shots in pickleball, a light drop shot (a long dink) from the back baseline to the middle of your opponent's kitchen! If you can pull it off.
You'll probably need to practice or hit third shots in games 5,000 to 10,000 times before you get it right.
When serving, keep your head down to watch the ball hit the middle of your paddle. Drop it right in front of your paddle so you don't have to meet the ball from a distance.
You do not need to look where your serve is going until after your strike the ball.
Don't move your shoulders and body in an upward motion when serving.
Don't run into the ball or step in the court after striking your serve, only to have to step back for the most difficult shot in pickleball, the third shot.
Don't be putting spin the ball when you serve, unless you've practiced enough to succeed with a spin 9 out of 10 times. Otherwise, you will make unforced errors aplenty!
Return of Serve
The return of serve should be slow, high and deep, preferably landing to the backhand of the opponent receiving the serve.
You should not fire a bullet return of serve, you will get stuck in No Man's Land with your feet exposed and your angles open. You'll often have no choice but to hit the ball upwards.
The Third Shot
One of the most important shots in pickleball is the "third shot," because the serving team is at a disadvantage. The serving team must stay back at the baseline for the third shot and wait for the ball to bounce.
The serving team has three choices for the third shot:
1) Lob, often not successfully.
2) Bang the ball at the two people that are now at the kitchen, ready for the ball. Your chances are not good, considering that 80% of points are won by the team that gets to the kitchen first.
3) The best choice for the third shot is one of the most important shots in pickleball, a light drop shot (a long dink) from the back baseline to the middle of your opponent's kitchen! If you can pull it off.
You'll probably need to practice or hit third shots in games 5,000 to 10,000 times before you get it right.
