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How to beat 90% of players
Paul from Pickleball Daily
December 25, 2025
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Tip of the day
The primary obstacle preventing many players from advancing is the mistaken belief that they must attack every single shot to win.
Success in pickleball relies on keeping the start of each point simple rather than attempting risky hero shots that have a high failure rate.
Serving teams should utilize a "drive and drop" combination to transition forward, driving deep returns and dropping the following shot crosscourt.
Returning teams should aim for deep, middle-of-the-court returns to create confusion between opponents and secure enough time to reach the kitchen line.
Consistent drops and resets are achieved by visualizing a straight line toward the opponent's shins instead of hitting high, loopy shots.
Hitting soft shots crosscourt is statistically more effective because the greater distance provides more time for you to move into a better position.
Once established at the net, players should follow the ball's movement and "hover" over the kitchen line to capitalize on aggressive dinks.
When on the defensive, hitting toward the middle of the court limits the opponent's angles and uses the lowest part of the net for safety.
Key Points:
Avoid the "hero" mindset and prioritize simple, high-percentage plays to start every point.
Use a drive on your third shot to set up an easier fifth-shot drop crosscourt.
Aim returns deep and down the middle to capitalize on opponent communication errors.
Draw a straight line to your opponent's knees for drops and resets to keep the ball unattackable.
Always prioritize crosscourt targets for soft shots to gain extra reaction time and space.
Follow the ball's trajectory to ensure you are always in the correct defensive position at the net.
Step back and split-step if you pop the ball up to give yourself more time to counter-attack.
Aim for the middle when in trouble to neutralize opponent angles and minimize mistakes.
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Happy pickling,
Paul