Tip of the day

Learn Pickleball in 5 Minutes

Professional player Zane Navratil provides a streamlined introduction to pickleball, covering the court layout, fundamental rules, and the five essential shots every beginner needs to master.

The court features a "no-volley zone" known as the kitchen, which extends seven feet from the net on both sides and prevents players from taking balls out of the air while standing inside it.

Pickleball relies on the "double bounce rule," meaning the serve must bounce once and the return must bounce once before any volleys can occur.

Serving must be done underhand from behind the baseline, and the ball must land in the service box diagonally opposite to the server.

The five core shots include the serve, the return, the dink, the volley, and the third shot, each serving a specific tactical purpose.

A successful return should be hit deep into the opponent's court to provide enough time for the returning team to move up to the kitchen line.

Dinking is a soft shot aimed into the opponent's kitchen that neutralizes their ability to hit an aggressive, downward attack.

Volleys are most effective when executed with short, compact swings, as large backswings often lead to a loss of control and placement.

The third shot drop is used to transition from the baseline to the net after the serving team has satisfied the double bounce requirement.

Scoring in doubles pickleball consists of three numbers: the serving team's score, the receiving team's score, and the server number (1 or 2).

Key Points:

• Master the double bounce rule early to avoid common faults during the first few hits of a rally.

• Prioritize depth over power on both serves and returns to gain a positional advantage.

• Focus on soft, lifted dinks to keep the ball low and force your opponents into a defensive position.

• Maintain a compact paddle position for volleys to ensure you can react quickly to fast-paced shots at the net.

• Use a third shot drop with a high arc to land the ball safely in the kitchen and allow your team to advance forward.

Watch the full tutorial here.

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Happy pickling,

Paul