This skill is underrated

Tip of the day

Coach Austin Hardy examines how pickleball is evolving toward faster pace and more aggressive play, identifying anticipation as the critical skill for staying competitive in 2026.

As paddle technology advances and players hit harder, relying solely on reaction time is no longer a viable long-term strategy.

Anticipation allows you to read an opponent's intentions before they strike the ball, giving you the necessary split second to prepare.

Watching an opponent's shoulders is a key indicator; a turned or coiled shoulder typically signals an impending speed-up or drive.

Conversely, an opponent standing flush to the net with an open paddle face is almost certainly planning a soft dink or drop.

The "triangle effect" is a common pattern where a cross-body speed-up is likely to be countered back toward the original side.

Implementing a step-back and split-step at the kitchen line creates extra space and time to handle incoming high-velocity shots.

Staying on the balls of your feet while leaning forward keeps you in an active, athletic stance ready for explosive movement.

For powerful drives, keep your paddle out in front with a short, compact motion to deflect the pace back at your opponent.

The most effective counters involve a "relaxed-to-firm" grip transition right at the moment of contact to maximize control and depth.

Mastering these anticipation techniques will help you neutralize hard hitters and maintain control of the rally regardless of the pace.

Key Points:

  • Transition from reactive to anticipatory play to keep up with the increasing speed of modern pickleball.

  • Monitor shoulder positioning and paddle face angles to predict whether an opponent will hit hard or soft.

  • Use the step-back split-step to buy yourself crucial milliseconds of reaction time against aggressive attacks.

  • Leverage the triangle effect to predict the direction of counterattacks based on your own shot placement.

  • Focus on a compact, out-in-front deflection technique to return powerful drives with consistency and depth.

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Happy pickling,

Paul