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How to get to 4.5
Paul from Pickleball Daily
December 23, 2025
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Tip of the day
This video identifies the five key areas where 4.0 players must improve to finally reach the 4.5 level.
To advance your game, you must focus on proactive strategies and court IQ rather than just chasing faster drives or trickier serves.
Being proactive means leaning into the kitchen to apply pressure the moment you hit an aggressive dink that might cause a pop-up.
You must improve your third-shot decision-making by recognizing exactly when to drive a high-bouncing ball or drop a low-short return.
Transition play is a major separator between levels, requiring you to absorb pace with a loose grip rather than "death gripping" the paddle.
Another essential skill is recognizing when you have the advantage in a rally and keeping your opponent on the defensive.
Proper court positioning involves following the "rope rule," where you move toward the direction of the ball you just hit to cover the likely return.
Finally, you should stay centered in your own area while your partner hits and only move after seeing where their shot goes to avoid leaving gaps.
Key Points:
Focus on soft skills like court IQ and pattern recognition over just improving hard skills.
Lean in and apply pressure immediately after hitting an aggressive dink to capitalize on pop-ups.
Drive high-bouncing short balls or hot returns, but drop low-bouncing short balls and neutral baseline returns.
Use a very loose grip and "absorb" the ball with your elbow to hit effective resets in the transition zone.
Follow the "rope rule" by shifting your court position toward the direction of your shot.
Stay in your "box" while your partner hits and only shift your position once you see where their shot lands.
Learn to recognize when a rally is neutral, when you have the advantage, and when you are on defense.
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Deal of the day
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That’s it for today! As always, thank you for reading. 🙏
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Happy pickling,
Paul