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Secrets to elite defense

Secrets to elite defense

Paul from Pickleball Daily
October 28, 2025

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Tip of the day

Secrets to Elite Defense in the Transition Zone + Baseline

Tyson McGuffin explains his unconventional, elite defensive secret for recovering from the baseline or deep in the transition zone: driving yourself out of trouble.

When pushed back by a deep return and caught off balance, many players are taught to drop, but driving is now a more effective tactic due to advances in paddle technology.

Driving the ball while fading away gives the opponent a faster fourth ball that is difficult to volley short, which enhances your subsequent drop.

The optimal combination is to hit a defensive drive, then use the shorter fourth volley to execute a drop shot, allowing you to get up and established at the net.

This sequence is also highly effective for dealing with overheads that come back with extreme pace after a defensive lob.

Attempting to hit a soft, controlled drop directly off a fast overhead is inconsistent, while using a drive to absorb and redirect the pace is more reliable.

Driving helps you manage the pace coming at you, essentially using the drive to set up your approach.

Always remember that this strategy is for the baseline and transition zone, and you should not be swinging yourself out of trouble at the kitchen line.

Key Points:

When pushed deep and off balance by a return, drive the ball to enhance your recovery rather than attempting a soft drop.
The defensive drive makes the opponent's fourth ball shorter, setting up an easier drop shot.
Use the drive-drop combination to successfully move up to the Non-Volley Zone.
Use a drive to manage the high pace when defending an opponent's overhead.

Watch the full tutorial here.

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